


My Dancer

by DrownInTheMadness, mdev_theartist



Series: My Edward [1]
Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Stripper/Exotic Dancer, Anal Sex, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Awkward Boners, Begging, Blood, Blood and Injury, Blow Jobs, Boners, Boss/Employee Relationship, Bottom Edward Nygma, Break Up, Break Up Talk, Comfort, Comfort/Angst, Contracts, Crushes, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dancing, Developing Relationship, Double Life, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Face Punching, First Time Blow Jobs, Gay Sex, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Identity Reveal, Inspired by Roleplay/Roleplay Adaptation, Last Kiss, Light Angst, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Mild Blood, Nygmobblepot, Piano, Pole Dancing, Praise Kink, Sad Ending, Secret Relationship, Secretly a Virgin, Sexual Tension, Singing, Sleepy Cuddles, Sobbing, Squabbling, Stripper AU, Strippers & Strip Clubs, Stripping, Under-Desk Blow Jobs, Unhappy Ending, Unrequited Crush, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Unwanted attention, bloody nose, burlesque club, hidden identity, money for sex, paid sex, private rooms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-03
Updated: 2019-06-28
Packaged: 2020-04-06 22:50:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 71,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19072285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrownInTheMadness/pseuds/DrownInTheMadness, https://archiveofourown.org/users/mdev_theartist/pseuds/mdev_theartist
Summary: Edward Nygma is applying to be a stripper at Mr. Cobblepot's new burlesque club, the Iceberg Lounge. Riddler and Edward are at odds for attention of both the crowd, and his employer. But are there feelings attached?





	1. Hello, Darling

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Leave Your Hat On](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11610237) by [TheDVirus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDVirus/pseuds/TheDVirus). 



> This is a role-play between me and my role-play partner ??FeliixEnigma?? on Amino. If the formatting is odd, then that's why, but I'll try to fix certain things if they're glaring issues. Obviously, because it's an rp, sometimes there are tangents and a bit too much detail, but I don't want to delete any of my or my beautiful partner's writing. The role-play has been going on for five months, and continues to this day, so I will be regularly updating this series about once every few days. Chapters will range in length depending on the scene. 
> 
> I've already planned for there to be two works in the My Edward series because something happens that will completely shift the plot and narrative.
> 
> The beginning of this fic was definitely based on TheDeeVirus's burlesque fanfic, but it's not completely ripping it off. You can obviously tell that these are two completely different works. Anyway, enjoy the story and let me know what you think! :)

"Last one on the list, boss"  
Oswald did his best to straighten his back and perk up towards the stage. Dozens of men and women had already auditioned with mediocre skills or lack of passion, with only few of them accepted by the owner himself. All the blaring music had hurt his head overtime, and he could not wait to let the day end. "Edward Nygma.", Oswald's 'second opinion' addressed loudly to whoever would be behind the curtain.

Edward. Was a complete nervous wreck. He was looking at his reflection in the mirror and gulped. He fumbled around with the suit that was provided for everyone to wear for their audition, and waited anxiously as everyone one by one, left the room then came back soon after with defeated looks on their faces.  
“I can do this..”  
He whispered to himself, as he straightened up his bow tie.  
‘You don’t really believe that, do you~?’  
“I’m here, aren’t I?!?”  
He exclaimed into the mirror, shaking the thought off as he heard his name being called. He froze for a solid minute, then mentally slapped himself and high-tailed it to the backstage area. He was met with the sight of a very large pole, and a curtain that encompassed the area. He gulped, and made his way towards it.  
“I’m sorry, I only signed up this afternoon. I hope I didn’t inconvenience you.”

An apology? How niche.  
"That isn't an issue, no need to apologize." He observed the man's figure behind the translucent curtain. He was thin and lean-- not the average male stripper build, but variety was nice. That is, of course, if this man was good at doing that job. "Let us know when you wish to begin."

Edward nodded and readied himself. He waited a second for his music to come on, and after a few beats of silence a sultry jazz song began to fill the once quiet area. He closed his eyes, and allowed some of his anxiousness to fade away, and once the tempo began to pick up he made his way to the pole. His once awkward frame now one of striking confidence as he began to languidly grind onto the pole, his limbs moving gracefully as he did so.

Oswald was pleasantly surprised to hear the style of music the man chose. He acted so different to when he saw the figure only walk up and apologize. To test his skills, his underling messed with the music in an attempt to put Ed off-balance.

Edward smiled when he heard the music begin to slow, then fasten hastily. Realizing that there was a real challenge now presented to him, he followed with the change, adjusting accordingly and not missing a single beat. He even took an advantage at some points and added in some extra spicy moves for good measure.

"He's good.", Oswald's employee commented lowly.  
"He is. I want to see what he looks like." Oswald observed his show a little more before turning to the other man beside him and nodding. With the press of a button, the curtain fell.

Edward had just tore open his jacket and flung his arms gracefully, spread wide. He dipped his head back, showing off his jawline and neck as the curtain dropped. He froze. He felt the cool air cling to his chest, as thoughts began to race through his head. Did he do something wrong? Did he press something?? He raised his head back up slightly and made dead eye contact with Oswald, which aided in him getting even more freaked out.  
“Oh dear..”

The music played without the dancer doing anything, and Oswald began to observe. He was pale, lean, sharp cuts over his face and shoulders...certainly lanky but attractive in a way. Though it truly didn't shine with that awkward posture of his.  
"Turn off the music.", he told his lackey. It was clear the man was stage shy, but the owner knew he had amazing potential. "Tell me why you want to be here.", Oswald asked, though it sounded more like an order.

Edward blinked. He guessed this was now headed towards the Q and A portion of the interview “First and foremost. I was fascinated by the name. ‘The Iceberg Lounge.’ And from what I’ve heard this place is all about... exposure.” He finished with a curt nod as he looked back over at Oswald “Did you come up with it?”

What an odd way to respond. This man was slowly getting more and more interesting. Though, it could just be the wine and exhaustion getting to him.  
"I did, thank you for asking. Is that all to your answer?"

“Well, my grandmother was also a burlesque dancer.” He continued, as he pushed up his glasses and cleared his throat slightly “I remember she had shown me some old photos of her when she was on stage. She told me that she never felt happier or more free when she was up there...”  
He paused for a brief moment.  
“And I’m trying to explore a darker side of myself in a... controlled environment.” He mumbled to himself.  
“I need an outlet and nobody in the audience knows my name. On this stage... I can simply be whoever I want to be.”

Oswald thought deeply about his well-put answer. Certainly this man was more than those brainless, hunks of meat and dick that came in today. He was intelligent and talented.  
"Well, then. We will certainly consider hiring you." Oswald stood up, a bit too awkwardly while clutching his cane and getting ready to leave. "Welcome to the Iceberg Lounge." He smiled and walked off as his lackey picked up the checklist and other paperworks.

Edward nodded his head, a buzz of thoughts racing through his mind as he picked up his coat.  
“Thank you.”  
He said quickly as he began promptly exited the stage and let out a huge sigh as he went back to the changing room. That certainly went better than expected....

The same lackey out in front knocked on the changing room door. "Excuse me, Mr. Nygma, but we must speak of your working hours and go over the contract with your new job."

“O-Oh! Of course!!”  
He stuttered nervously. He had gotten so anxious that he had left without going to see him. He flicked himself on the side of the head, and heard his inner saboteur laugh darkly at him as he opened the door, his things in hand, and completely changed into his pedestrian clothes.  
“Forgive my... ditziness.”

"It's no problem, buddy. Mr. Cobblepot is tired, so you can handle any requests directly to me." The man lead Edward somewhere else to conduct his contract and job agreements. Finally, even later in the night, Edward was allowed to go home. Work only began in three days, but Mr. Cobblepot-- the Penguin himself-- wanted to speak with Edward privately the very next evening.


	2. Settle In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter's a long boi. Uhhhh I kinda skimmed this chapter for spelling/grammar mistakes, so my bad if it comes out shittyyyy

Edward had spent the whole next day, preoccupied with his job at the GCPD, trying not to let any thoughts of what had happened the previous day get into his head. It took some serious guts to do what he did, and he was still in awe that he actually went through with it. Nevertheless, this would add something new to his rather... stagnant life. He finished his day at work, and before he knew it, he soon had to meet with Mr. Cobblepot. He quickly went home and changed himself out of his work attire, and changed into something a bit more tasteful. He adorned himself in a simple dark green suit, and combed his hair back. With this, he was hoping he could obtain some respect from Mr. Cobblepot, due to him making a slight fool out of himself by freezing up during his interview. He was determined.  
He arrived a little while later, and walked right into the lounge, keeping an eye out for the man.

Oswald had been getting himself a drink near the bar, sipping a glass of whiskey on the rocks. In no time, his new employee caught his eye. "Ah, there you are. You are most certainly looking more dapper this evening. Come with me, please." He waved his two fingers and limped towards one of the private rooms at the other end of his club. When inside, everything seemed mellow, sensual, and closed off. Why would his boss need him in a place like this?

“With all due respect Mr. Penguin..” Edward began as he followed, observing the room with a skeptical eye “May I ask why exactly you wanted to see me privately this evening? I don’t start officially for another two days, so I was a bit curious..” He concludes as he fixed his tie, a nervous habit that he didn’t even notice doing.

"You have a true talent. I see that in you. But for the work you're doing, I need you to learn to do everything in public." He pressed a little button that played Edward's chosen song. "Therefore, I'm requesting you to perform in front of me."

“I-I beg your pardon?” Edward asked, his voice somewhat shocked, his nervousness now clearly showing through, his confident demeanor he tried to build now vanished. He ran a shaky hand through his hair and gulped nervously.

Oswald was taken aback by Edward's reaction. Was he truly this nervous?  
"Mr. Nygma..." he stood up slowly and set a hand on his shoulder. "...whether you like it or not, this is what you signed up for. So quit, or take part in a performance. I promise you, that there will be no judgment."

‘Come on, Eddie~’  
His eyes darted over to the corner of the room to see his doppelgänger looking back at him, a smirk on his face. Edward shook it off and looked back at Oswald.  
“Yes sir.”  
He forced out of his mouth, and ran a hand through his hair again.  
He just needed.  
To focus.  
Block out everything.  
He can’t let the nerves get the better of him.  
He looked at Oswald’s hand that was still upon his shoulder, and grabbed it softly with his right hand  
“Could you, restart the music?”

"Certainly." He pressed a few different buttons that restarted the music and he sat down. In front of Edward was another pole, calling his name to dance and let a part of him be free.

Edward walked his way over towards the pole, his body shaking slightly. He let out a soft sigh, and clenched his fists.  
‘Come on Eddie, put on a show...’  
With that thought in mind, something changed in his stature. His strides were confident, there was a determination.  
A fire in Edward’s eyes.  
He put his right hand onto the pole, and let his body do the rest of the work. He hummed along softly to the song, circling around the pole slowly, he looked tilted his head down and looked right at Oswald, meeting his gaze and winking briefly, before continuing his routine.  
After a while, he began to sing along with the words, his voice low and sultry as he began to slowly undo his tie and languidly slide it off.  
“Why don’t you right~?”  
He sang out lowly as he tossed the tie to the floor, and began to unbutton his shirt slowly, not daring to break eye contact with Oswald.

There he was. That brave man that performed for him yesterday. He had such a lovely voice, too. Oswald knew he made the right choice in hiring him.  
Oswald encouraged his little strip show by performing himself. The boss lightly put his hand over his heart and pretended to swoon, or caught an article of clothing thrown his way. The most he could do was watch from a professional standpoint and help Edward feel more at ease with performing.

It was getting towards the end of the song, his shirt, tie, and coat, all thrown off his body. The only thing that was still on... were his pants. Strangely enough. He had taken his time, the routine teased, with him unbuckling his belt and slowly starting to unloop it, but never letting his pants fall off. He danced with a sultry stature, but he liked his performances to.... tease. Leaving the viewer wanting more. The song soon ended, Edward still humming softly even as the music stopped. It wasn’t until a moment later he realized the music stopped and blushed a bit.

"That was wonderful, Edward. You did a fantastic job." The employer smiled and handed him his outfit. "How confident do you think you would be on stage?"

“I don’t know.” He replied honestly, he then began to put his clothes back on  
“Whatever happens though, I wouldn’t want to make a fool out of you and freeze on stage. That would be bad for business.”  
He spoke matter-of-factly.  
“I’ll just have to get.... over myself.”

A smile spread across his lips. "I'm proud of your mindset. That only means you need consistent practice." He readjusted his coat and looked back to his dancer. "Do you have any other songs to dance to? I'd hate for that lovely one to get tiresome."

He thought for a second, now completely dressed. He pushed up his glasses and looked back to Oswald and nodded “I have a few in mind. But if they aren’t up to your standards, then by all means just tell me and I can search for something better suited.” He spoke with a smile on his face.

Oswald nodded and beamed proudly at him. "You're such a well-mannered man. You remind me of myself in my early days." He led his wonderful employee outside the private room and back towards the main stage. "You might have to wear something different that a plain suit to strip out of, but with more elaborate outfits come unwarranted hands. If you wish to change up your style, please let me know."

Edward blinked, straightening his tie and coat as he followed Oswald “With all due respect Mr. Penguin, I consider you to be one of the most well-mannered men I’ve had the pleasure of meeting.” He spoke with an innocent tone “And as for elaborate outfits... I might need a little bit of help on that.” He spoke as he awkwardly scratched the back of his head, the thought of his simple work clothes and his few fancy suits were probably not going to cut it.

"You need me to help pick something out for you. Very well, I'll introduce you to my tailor first thing tomorrow-- that is, when you come here. Right after your work in the GCPD." How did he know about that?

“Yea right aft-“ Edward froze right where he stood. He eyes widening, he trembled slightly “H-How did...” He began to ask, then took a step back in fear. He gulped, taking in the situation that was beginning to unfold around him.

"What? You think I wouldn't research the individuals that come to my business looking for work?" He noticed the man's frightful expression. "Oh. Don't worry. I know you aren't a cop here to rat out my business. Forensic expert, are you not?" He continued to walk coolly towards the stage and sit in his lovely rich leather seat from yesterday.

“W-Well you aren’t wrong..” He mumbled to himself, a small blush dusting his cheeks from being called a, “forensic expert.” He then mentally tried to shake off the slight scare he endured. It’s only natural that he would’ve found out, background checks are normally a key element when hiring someone. “Regardless, why would you risk it? Even if I’m not a cop wouldn’t you be worried if the GCPD found something out?” He questioned as he followed a few feet behind Oswald, but stopped when he saw the man sit down.

"I trust your word. When you told be why you wanted to be here, you sounded genuine." He turned to Edward with now narrowed eyes. "Don't disappoint me."  
"Now then, my shows are more than just a sleazy act for men and women to gawk at. I want this to be a place of respect and artistry. Tell me, Edward, what other skill can you perform at my club?"

“What other kinds of skills are you looking for in particular?” Edward questioned, facial expression softened now, stature looking more natural and no more underlying fear was shown “I can assure you, I won’t bring anything but my 110% with everything that I am tasked with here..” He began. His eyes then looked away from Oswald and began to fully observe and take in the area. Eyes twinkling with curiosity, and perhaps just a little bit of awe.  
“I certainly wouldn’t want to tarnish the beauty that is, The Iceberg Lounge.”

"A wonderful way of thinking, my friend. A few clients here are famous for magic tricks, dance routines, and even songs they enjoy performing. Anything along the lines of that, but knowing what I do about you, your creativity will surely trump out the competition." If things went well, Penguin might just make him head stripper. Hell, even a higher pay. Edward Nygma was incredibly valuable.

Edward nodded, understanding completely “Roger Dodger, Mr. Penguin.” He replied. Absentmindedly, he began to look at the stage, the one he was on the previous day. He cringed at the memory of getting freaked out and shrugged it off. He just had to get out of his head and not get so nervous, then hopefully. Hopefully. He would do well.

"Tell me what this new song of yours is. I'll be happy to play it for you." He sat back, rubbing his knee softly as he observed how the other behaved on the stage. "Please remember to carry yourself gracefully. Confidence is the key to a good show."

Edward nodded, eyeing the area that there was for a performer. Plenty of space to be used for someone’s advantage. He himself wasn’t too keen on just moving all around the stage, he liked to have his focus be on one area. He was a firm believer that if a performer was good enough, they didn’t need to galavant throughout and try to distract and take away from the overall performance  
“I’m not fond of the typical kind of music most dancers use...”  
He spoke out softly, walking across the stage, towards the center.  
“There’s nothing to be gained in a tasteless performance.. blaring variations of pop and techno give me a headache.”  
He said bluntly as he ran a hand through his hair and walked in front of the pole, now he stood right on the very edge of the apron on stage.  
“As for my song I was thinking about... I was also perhaps just thinking of something nice and jazzy. Something that has some variety, but doesn’t just hit you in the face with useless tempo and pitch changes...”  
“A song, that can give you... Fever.”

Without words, Oswald searched on his little music device and played the song for him. Already, he was fond of it, and excited to see what Edward would do with no certain up. "Tell me, Mr. Nygma, how long have you been practicing. With someone as talented as you, it's like you've already embraced yourself in the lifestyle.”

“I haven’t been practicing for long. I’ve rarely practiced at all, if I’m being honest with you.... I just. I have. An issue. With.. getting inside my head too much sometimes.”  
He spoke with a sigh, turning his back and going back around the poll until he was standing in the center of the stage “It’s.. difficult. I’m my own worst enemy, Mr. Penguin.”  
“Something about just getting up here and not thinking about it all, makes me feel so. Alive.”

"That's the glory of it. So I've heard." Oswald smiled and let the song play. "Tell me when you're ready to try it on the big stage." Suddenly, a couple lackeys came in, standing beside the king of the club and looking at Ed.

Edward was just about to start when he noticed the men that appeared next to Oswald. He gulped nervously and looked down, once again he was being plagued with a case of: Stage Fright “I’m sorry, I don’t know what’s coming over me...”

"No problem, take as much time as you need, but you will need to start eventually." He knew the man could do it. There was certainly a part of him that craved it.

Nygma sighed. Frustration, humiliation, and fear were the three main things he was feeling currently. He had to try and get out of his own head, this was one of the main reasons why he was there after all.  
‘Poor little Eddie, don’t go disappointing your employer now, that wouldn’t be good...’  
Edward peaked up, and saw the burdening hallucination of his other half standing right beside one of Penguin’s lackeys, a smirk planted on his face. Edward grimaced and turned around, back to the audience.  
“Come on Edward.. snap out of it...”  
He whispered to himself quietly as he heard the music begin to fade out, then replay again. He took in a breath, closed his eyes and pushed the thoughts out of his head, and began to snap to the rhythm. With every ‘click’ he managed to pull himself out of his head more and more, once the words began to sing softly over the speakers, he spun around slowly and opens his eyes.  
Determination, and fire burned from his face as he looked right at Oswald and gave him a short wink, then started his routine.

Oswald smiled widely in approval, hoping to slowly submerge his new employee into the cold water. He had to be broken soon or else his business would be made a mockery of. After a minute into Ed's performance, Oswald called for more of his employees to come out and create a small audience. Hopefully he wouldn't be one to stutter at the face of something unexpected or new.

Edward couldn’t be bothered to hear or even notice the growth in people watching him, as soon as he started, the music just simply got to him. Though he was determined to not think anything, there was one thought in his head during his performance.  
‘Don’t make a fool out of your employer.’  
With that one thought, nagging through his mind, he performed with precision, never missing a single beat.  
There was a brief moment he swore he saw himself (but not really himself) again, this time on the stage right next to him, arms length away. At the sight, he wrapped one leg around the pole, and bounced himself up. His body shot halfway up, as he kicked out his free foot, going above his head. He smirked when he saw the vision disappear, and slid down the bar, and continued the rest of the .routine

A couple of the lackies commented in surprise during a few of his moves. As always, Oswald smiled proudly as ever from his grand chair.  
His routine ended the minute the song was over and Oswald stood up to clap, where all the others did as well, some even whistling and shouting "yeah!"s in approval.

Edward stood there in his ending pose, back turned, but head over the shoulder. He stayed like that for a second, then turned around and gave a curt little bow, a small beginning to grace his lips. He was afraid he might fail, but was relieved that he didn’t.

"As I said, you are a wonderful man, Mr. Nygma." He grabbed his cane and walked closer to the stage. "And you will do great things here. I can see it clear as glass."  
Oswald let all of his people go their separate way and lead Edward to his bar for a celebratory drink. "I promise not to let you dance anymore. I wouldn't want you to be sore. However, we must discuss your second act."

Edward nodded as he sat down next to Oswald at the bar. He turned slightly so that he could face him, and readjusted his glasses.  
“Alright then, let’s talk about it.”

"Tell me what you'd like to do as a way of entertaining the patrons. Other than your act, of course. As I said before, there's singing, dancing, magic tricks..."

“While studying to become a forensic scientist, in my free time I was often, restless. I tried a lot of different things to try and cure my boredom, and I only ended up finding one thing I could do.” He spoke as he waved down the bartender and order a drink “I found out I was rather decent at playing the piano. Besides singing, that’s something I can do fairly easily..”

"A piano! Marvelous idea, my friend. I'll make sure to order one for the club." He smiled and held up his newly served glass of red wine. "To new opportunities."

Edward beamed, a smile made its way onto his lips. He raised his glass as well “To new opportunities, Mr. Penguin.”

They clinked glasses and drank to each their own beverage.  
"So, Edward, is there anything that you need that I can help you with? I don't want to take up your night if you have other plans."

Edward took a hearty sip of his drink, smiled softly and gave out a soft chuckle “I don’t normally have plans after I get home, I don’t really have any friends to go out with.” He spoke with a happy/sad tone as he took another drink.

His eyebrow quirked up. "No friends?", Oswald asked. "An intelligent, attractive man such as yourself? I have a hard time believing such a thing." The shorter man even added a small scoff.

Edward blushed a light pink, but shrugged his shoulders with a half smile “Everyone at work thinks I’m.. weird.”  
He chased the rest of his drink  
“Never had a real friend here in Gotham. Sad, but it’s the truth.”

"Never? Really?" He felt empathy towards Edward. In his life, he'd been bullied by school children with no friends either. And as an adult, everyone had betrayed him for power and money.  
His brows creased upward as he placed a gentle hand on Ed's shoulder. "Well, then, everyone is an idiot for thinking that. You are intelligent, talented, polite, and a wonderful presence to be around."

“I don’t deserve your kindness, Mr. Penguin.” He admitted with a soft smile as he chuckled softly to himself “I’ve always heard such negative things about you, but all of them are far from the truth.” Edward pushed up his glasses.  
“I want you to know that I have the utmost respect for you, Mr. Penguin.”

"I'm flattered, truly. Rumors are nothing but rumors, but even still, thank you." He smiled back.  
Later that evening, Penguin escorted his new employee outside. "One again, I'm proud to have you on my team. Have a wonderful night, Mr. Nygma."

“Thank you, truly, Mr. Penguin.” Edward spoke, he bowed his head slightly and smiled. He then turned on his heel and waved goodbye as he walked and made his way to his apartment.

Penguin pondered more about this fine, young gentleman. He was charming, intelligent, cute, and entertaining. A wonderful ally, a perfect asset. Edward Nygma was perfect for Oswald.


	3. Riddler Awakens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eddie gets his costume and... his name

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, I forgot to mention this before but I play Oswald! My role-play partner plays Edward.

The following evening, Oswald requested Ed's presence, but not his club, at a special tailoring business. The limping business owner was standing out in front, waiting for his employee to arrive.

Edward had gotten off a bit later than expected from his job, once he was finally excused he booked it to the address Oswald had given him. He slapped himself mentally for not keeping better track of time and after a few minutes of running like a maniac, he made it to the building. Being so flustered about being late he didn’t even notice the man standing a few feet away from him. He took a minute to catch his breath, then looked up and stumbled back, startled.  
“My apologies for being a little late.” He breathed out.

"It's no trouble, Edward. I'm glad you could make an effort." He waited for his friend to settle down and catch his breath before bringing him inside a very rich, professional lobby. "I'm here to speak with Mr. Lundy.", he told the secretary firmly. "We have an appointment." The woman nodded and led the two gentlemen to another room in the large building, leaving as soon as the door was opened.  
Inside was an old, portly man with an accent. "Mr. Cobblepot! And guest. What may I help you fine gentlemen with?"  
"My friend, Mr. Nygma, is in need of an outfit change." He now turned to Ed himself. "For the club, of course. Describe to Mr. Lundy what kind of outfit you wish to perform with, and he'll make it, at best, by tomorrow morning."

Edward was taken aback. He knew he was going to need a costume, but he didn’t think Oswald would go as far to get something handcrafted just for him. He was completely flabbergasted. His words got caught in his throat for a moment, but he cleared it and straightened up his back.  
“Well, I’ve had a little bit of an issue with performing in front of numerous amounts of people. I also, work for the GCPD and if word got out that I was working for Mr. Penguin, all hell would literally ensue.”  
He spoke with a nervous chuckle, but then cleared his throat again and brought his shoulders back  
“I was thinking, for clothes nothing too elaborate. A color you think would look nice on me. I’m partial to green, but if you find another that would better suit me, then by all means, use it... as for the main piece of the costume, Mr. Penguin, what are your thoughts if I wore a mask?”

"I believe a mask would be most effective. Don't you think so, Mr. Lundy?"  
The tailor nodded and began to sketch on a piece of paper. "What kind of outfit you want? Suit and pants? You need shoes with it?"

Edward nodded “Yes. I don’t want anything too... weird or flashy. I would prefer to keep it nice and classy, but I feel the element of a mask would be the nice touch.”

"Okay, green go really well with black and sometimes pink-- but you are not girly man, so I choose purple instead. If you want mask, I can make like this." He turned his sketch paper around, showing a generic man sketch with a buttoned suit, tie, pants, heeled boots, and a domino mask. The fabrics and colours were all labeled.  
"Another thing I'd like to mention-- if you want complete anonymity, then you can't go on stage using your full name. You need a stage name for yourself."

Edward looked at the outfit sketch and smiled to himself, even though it was just a rough outline of what he wanted, he liked what he saw “Hmm.” He hummed to himself as he tried to ponder on a name.  
‘If you think too hard about it, your brain is going to explode.’  
He bit his tongue as he narrowed his eyes to the left and saw not-himself, smirking at him.  
‘Come on riddle boy, it can’t be that hard.’  
Edward shook his head, then smiled, he looked back towards the carbon-copy with a smirk, then looked to Oswald with a smile.  
“How about... The Riddler?”

"Odd, but it fits. A riddle is another way of saying 'mystery'." He nodded approvingly as the tailor put his sketch down. "Now, undress so I can make measurements.", he informed the man with Oswald slowly beginning to stand. "I will be busying myself with other matters in the meantime, Mr. Nygma. If you need me, tell Mr. Lundy to give me a call."

Edward nodded as he took off his coat and folded it neatly then set it down on a nearby chair “Roger dodger.” He spoke with a grin, as he began to disrobe all the other articles of clothing he needed to in order to get measured accurately.

The tailor was able to get all of his measurements and test fabric types in just a one hour of time. Meanwhile, he finished the suit in another plus forty minutes. After he finished the entire suit, Mr. Lundy called Oswald in to view it.  
Mr. Cobblepot walked in with a pleasant gasp and a wide smile. "Wow! You look wonderful, Edward! Quite the dapper fellow-- although, we'll have to do something about that hair."

Edward looked down and admired Mr. Lundy’s handiwork, also very impressed and pleased. But he perked his head up at the mention of hair. He looked up and tried to see how it looked. From running it did look a little.. frazzled.  
“I didn’t think it looked that bad..”

"It doesn't mesh well with what you're wearing. I liked it when you had your hair slicked back the day before."  
Mr. Lundy took over Ed's attention when he took off the man's glasses and replaced it with the domino mask. "You get contact lenses when you wear mask, yes?", the tailorman asked.

“I can get them, yes.” Edward replied as he blinked slightly, his vision only slightly blurry, but he could see everything around him semi-decently “Also, I can assure you, I won’t wear my hair like this while performing in your lounge, Mr. Penguin, you have a reputation to uphold, and it would be distasteful it my hair was in shambles like it is now.”

Penguin gave out a little hearty laugh. "Now, that's what I like to hear! Come now, Edward. Mr. Lundy will finalize your outfit, and I shall gift it when you perform tomorrow." He turned on his heel to leave and let him change.

Edward excused himself from Mr. Lundy, and quickly put back on his clothes. He then exited the room the way Oswald left, in hopes to find him waiting for him, which he was. He had a big grin on his face as he pushed up his glasses and thought about how awe-worthy his costume was going to be.

The man escorted his friend outside once again with a lackey following close beside him. "Tomorrow, I expect you to be able to perform without fail, as you have before. Please, Ed--" he walked forward and looked up at him. "--don't let me down. Have a goodnight, and get your beauty sleep."

Edward looked down into Oswald’s eyes, there was something about the way he said those words that gave him a boost of determination “Mr. Penguin, you have my word, I will not. Let you down.”

He nodded and left Edward to make his way home.


	4. The Hat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this is the sexy chapter~

The following day, Penguin was finally opening his burlesque club: The Iceberg Lounge. Advertised with quality dancers and entertainers both male and female for all patrons of his establishment. Behind the scenes, he took Edward in and and had assistants to apply some makeup and gel his hair and offer him his 'Riddler' outfit.

Edward felt as he was about to star in some kind of movie, all the attention he was being given to get ready was perhaps a bit overwhelming, but on the surface he didn’t show any signs of wavering. Once the assistants were through with doing his hair and makeup, he excused them so he could put on his new costume. Once all on, he put on the new heeled shoes that he was also given, making him a bit taller than he already was. He looked into the mirror and gasped at the reflection he saw back. He was absolutely in love with the entire outfit, he gawked at himself, mask in hand about to be put on when he heard a few claps from the corner of the room. His smile vanished as he darted his head over and saw him.  
‘You do clean up nice, only thanks to your employer, of course.’  
He mocked as he stepped closer to Ed.  
“What do you want?”  
‘You always assumes I want something.. how niche...’  
Edward bit his tongue and turned back towards the mirror, this time the reflection staring back at him, wasn’t him. It was the alter.  
‘I can agree with Mr. Penguin, this costume is astounding... but you’re missing something.’  
“And what exactly might I be missing?”  
‘The locker with your clothes in it, the one that’s above it. Look inside of it.’  
Edward grunted and walked over to the said locker, he opened it up and blinked. It was a very lovely, bowler hat.  
“How did you-“  
He turned around and the other was gone. He took in a deep breath and went back to the mirror, putting on the mask, then slowly and hesitantly putting on the hat.

One of Penguin's muscle men came up to him when he exited his room. "Boss wants you to go on last. You play piano-- any song you want and sing it-- then you do your dance routine. Got it, Riddler?"

Edward turned around and nodded, giving a thumbs up to the man, a small smile on his face “Yes. Thank you.”

Penguin had a balcony seat, unlike anyone else in the entire club. The first act of the night was a woman who did erotic magic cards and then your typical stripper dance in the end. The second was a man who showed off his strong build. Many patrons were clapping and throwing dollar bills onto the stage for the entertainers announced during the show. Finally, it was Edward's turn.  
"For tonight's final act, we have you a tickler of the ivories. Give a warm welcome to the mystery man-- The Riddler!"

Edward stood backstage, watching each and every act. He was in awe of everything, even though there was some little parts he didn’t appreciate as much as others. The more and more closer his time came, he began to feel jittery and nervous again. His hands shook, and his heart pounded against his rib cage like a drum. He gulped, and felt himself getting worse.  
‘Wow buddy, look at you, you’re a wreck.’  
He looked over his shoulder, and saw him leaning on the wall watching the act currently out on stage.  
‘You can certainly do better than that train wreck out there.’  
He pointed out with a flat tone as he walked closer to Edward.  
‘You have a reputation to uphold, you wouldn’t want to embarrass yourself and the name of this club, would you?’  
Edward clenched his fists, the act on stage had now ended, a thunderous applause flooded the area and Edward began to feel even more nervous.  
‘Eddie. I don’t want you making a fool out of the both of us.’  
He spoke seriously as he stepped behind him. Edward’s head then snapped up as he heard his act being announced, his knees almost buckled out under him, as he gave a sigh.  
“Then what do you propose I do?”  
He asked with a low gruff, careful not to let anyone hear him. He heard the doppelgänger chuckle deviously behind him.  
‘Let me, help you~’  
Once his stage name was announced he stepped calmly onto the stage, hat placed just right onto his head. He walked towards the piano on the stage, and sat himself down gracefully, his magnificent costume glimmering in the stage lights. He took his hat that rested right on his head, and put it onto the top of the piano. Without another beat, he began to play. The notes and chords low and ominous, his own arrangement of a song. He took it this direction so it would sound more.. fitting for an event like this. His back was straight, his head up, but his eyes downcast to look at the keys. He played the last few sets of intro chords, then took a deep breath and looked out into the audience, winking at some people, causing them to shriek from the danger and lustful look that was in his eye.  
He searched the crowd for Oswald, and couldn’t seem to find him, but then he looked up, and smirked when he found the one he was looking for, right as he made eye contact he began to sing  
“You don’t own me~”

When Oswald saw him walk out, the first thing he noticed was a bowler hat. A fine addition, surely, but one that was last minute. Edward needed to clear these things with the very fashionable boss, but he would certainly make an exception right now. Besides the hat, he saw confidence radiating from his employee which made him smile wide. Good for Edward in coming this far in just a few days. He'd certainly get a fat profit from this man.  
Ed was right, he could play the piano. Oswald, as always, had no doubt in him and expected the performance to go over well. What he did not expect was the eye contact during the song. Now, it felt personal, but it was an odd song to pick if he needed to convey a message. The bird decided it wasn't the case, that he was only making eye contact because he trusted his boss. Good on him. Oswald smiled at him and paid extra extra attention to him on stage.

He continued to play and sing only breaking eye contact a few times so that he could look back to the piano and make sure he was playing correctly and not missing a beat, then he would give Oswald eye contact once again. He played the final chords to the song, and ended gracefully. Smirking to himself, he then stood up and grabbed his hat, walked towards the pole that was center stage, and gave a curt bow. Arms spread wide as he did so, he then put his hat back on and looked straight up at Oswald.  
“Now, let's start the real show.”

The people cheered for his musical performance and clapped loudly for him. Many women began to whistle when he mentioned a real show.  
"Yeah! Take off your suit!", one drunk lady shouted in excitement, to which Oswald glared at her. This was a sophisticated establishment! He sent one of his men to go down and inform her to stay quiet or she'll be kicked out.  
Oswald was now on the edge of his seat the moment Ed's strip jazz music started. Yes, he'd seen the show before, but it was still astounding and talented in every way he'd seen from the previous employees.

Edward began to dance a lot more confidently than he had done in the past, he began slow as he had always done. He made eye contact with some of the women in the audience and winked at them, which caused uproar and whistles to be sent his way. He chuckled softly at that. He began to loosen his tie and tilt his head slightly, he pulled a little bit to hard and let out a haughty groan which caused an even bigger uproar in the crowd. He managed to then slide the tie off with ease and throw it behind him as if it was nothing.

The sudden noise Edward-- or rather The Riddler-- made set something in Oswald's head going. The gears in there began to turn a little and he paid closer attention. More confidence indeed~.

Next, Edward began to slowly strip himself of his jacket turning his back towards the audience and having it drape slowly off his shoulders then down softly onto the ground, when he turned back around he caught the attention of everyone now as he swirled his hips and cocked his neck to the side as he began to unbutton his shirt.

This was different, but the boss liked it. Ed could shake things up or do the same moves and it would still impress Penguin.  
But, maybe a little too much considering the heat rising to his crotch at the moment.

With each button being undone, he tilt his head back a bit and show off his rough cut jawline and bobbing Adam's apple. When he got to the last button he popped his head back up and let the shirt naturally slide off until it fell gracefully to the stage floor like his jacket did. He bit his lip softly, and looked back up towards the balcony. Once he made eye contact, he winked at Oswald as he did earlier, but it’s time a lot more hunger in his eyes.

The women in the audience cheered at his lack of a shirt and wink somewhere off to the distance. Meanwhile, in that distance, Oswald grew hard from it. "Oh-- God damnit--" he turned his seat and waved his fingers toward a middleman beside him on the balcony. "Get me an ice pack. Now.", he hissed, quickly turning back to see the rest of his music strip.

Edward continued his routine, after he winked at his employer he went back to dazing lustfully at the audience. At this point in the song he began to hum along, as he swirled his hips and began to loosen his belt teasingly.

The ladies, and even a couple men, encouraged him to take it off. Oswald certainly wanted that, but he needed to stay professional. He sat with a face of stone, pressing his ice pack into his crotch to settle down his boner.

With the encouragement, in one more tug the belt came all the way off. His pants dropped a little bit, cause onto his hips, which reveal his V line... which also reveal, that Ed wasn’t wearing any underwear underneath the pants. He heard some gasp in excitement, others whistle, as he let the belt fall out of his hands, and down onto the floor. He took a few strides forward toward the pole, he knew he was nearing the end of the song, and wanted to milk all of it for what it was for.

Oswald almost choked when he saw that and it was not helping his hard-on situation. An employer should not be reacting in such a way to their employees. Oswald let it slide as the sexual regression he usually had and the amount of erotic material shown today. Edward was the last show, so of course he'd be hard now.

Edward grabbed onto the pole, and circled it a few times. After that, he wrapped one of his legs around and began to grind on it slowly. About 20 seconds till the song was over, Edward unhooked his leg, which caused his pants to slide down just a bit more. He groaned a bit at that, which cause some women in the audience to scream, which made him smirk softly. Edward then tauntingly made his way towards the very edge of the stage. He reached up and took his hat off of his head, he then put it down, right over his nether regions, and swirled his hips once more. His pants now had completely fallen off, and the hat was the only thing that covered him. But.  
It didn’t stop there.  
Right as the end of the song came, Edward lifted his hands to reveal, the hat hanging on down there.. which could only mean one thing...  
He bit his lip and looked up at his employer for the last time, and the song finally ended.


	5. Is That An Iceberg In Your Pants?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> it's chill in the iceberg lounge, but Eddie's got a hot and eager fanbase~

The lights slowly dimmed, people drew the curtains, and the entire audience was full of swooning women and cheering men, clapping for his amazing final performance. Oswald clapped for him too, squeezing the ice pack between his legs. Damn his painful erection, and damn Ed for giving him that look. Audience members threw dollars onto the stage, much more than all the other performances, and didn't stop cheering for him minutes after he finished and was able to clean up backstage.  
"Give a big thank you to all our quality entertainers! Many of them will be available by the bar if needed.", the announcer declared as a few of the first female performers strolled out in their heels and fishnets. Of course, all the lady patrons were asking to see The Riddler~.

Once Edward was fully done getting all of his clothes back on and de-wrinkled he looked at himself in the mirror and smirked, placing his hat back onto his head, and making his way out, not trying to draw too much attention to himself, but that didn’t really happen because most if not everyone’s eyes were on him. He smirked and winked at a few, causing them to blush and squeak.

A couple women approached him and asked him all sorts of questions and gave him compliments a plenty.  
"You're so tall!" "I love your suit!" "You're so handsome!" "Can I get your number?" "Can you play a song for me?" "Let me buy you a drink!"  
And yet, Penguin was nowhere in sight. Wouldn't he be down here to congratulate Edward on his first performance?

Edward was flattered by their comments, but had to excuse himself, much to their dismay. He was trying to look for Oswald. He thought it was weird that he just disappeared after the show... had he done something wrong? With that thought in mind, he left the main area of the lounge, and began to search the backstage area he hasn’t really looked around in before.

Oswald seemed to be nowhere, yet no one was freaking out over a missing Mr. Cobblepot.  
The man was hiding away in his office, ice pack firmly pressed on his crotch and rubbing his aching forehead. After too long a time, he was soft again, and he threw the ice pack onto his desk with a large sigh. The limping man finally exited his office and caught a glimpse of The Riddler walking around backstage.

After a while, he seemed a bit defeated that he couldn’t find the man. He let out a sigh and turned on his heel to return to the main part of the lounge, but stopped when he saw Oswald “Mr. Penguin!” He exclaimed as he made his way over to the man “Where have you been, you disappeared so quickly after the show, I thought something had happened...”

"Nothing too serious.", he said, quick to deflect it. "Just business. Talk of using the private rooms with employees and how we need to have them sign a separate contract for them." A half-truth. He'd already made the contracts yesterday.  
"I meant to ask you before, but I've been swamped!" He let out a little chuckle. "Would you be willing to make some extra cash on the side in the private rooms? As always, I take 30% of those profits, and you still get your usual wage on top of it. Sound like something you want to do?"

“Hmmm...” He thought about it for a moment. He could probably do it, but... he was hesitant “I would be willing to try it.. but being in a room alone with someone I don’t know freaks me out a little.” He spoke as he scratched the back of his head “I’d have to get used to an environment like that before I’d consider taking it on and opening myself up for rent to the public.” He half-joked with a soft chuckle.

Kinky. Interesting. "Well, we can't have you sleeping with guests in the middle of the club, now can we?" He chuckled as well. "Let me know in the future if you want to use the private rooms and I'll be happy to negotiate the prices."  
Oswald smiled and walked off to go greet the other guests and survey the area.

Edward chuckled, and made his own way back to the main part of the lounge. He whistled softly to himself as he made his way over to the bar and ordered himself a drink.

Women saw him again and came by to talk with him and compliment his performance. "I wish I could've gotten a closer look~." "How much do you work out~?" "Did you really hang the hat only by your junk~?"  
Oswald was going around to most guests and employees, but during their badgering questions, he lightly interfered. "Now, now, ladies. Don't bother Riddler too much.", he scolded them lightly, a smile on his face.

Edward chuckled at that, looking up at Oswald from his seat while a smile. He winked, then continued to listen to some of the girl’s crazy questions with an amused/somewhat frightened expression.

Oswald's freckled cheeks bloomed a light shade of red as he walked off. That damn wink did things to him, and he didn't need to be reminded this horny night.

Edward sat at the bar for a while, talking to various ladies, a bright smile on his face at all the attention he was getting. Some of the women were rather, crude. Others were actually pretty interesting to talk to, he laughed, joked, and overall enjoyed the conversation he was having with all of them.

Many of the women there touched him and his suit. His lean arms, his knee, his hands. Oswald observed this from afar and put a mental note that you must limit your physical interaction with employees unless they allow it.  
Near the end of the night, most of the patrons were drunk and were slowly escorted out of his club. "Well then!", Oswald announced at the center of the lobby. "I'd say that went over extremely well. Congratulations to all of you." Everybody took a moment to clap. "Now then, we will be quick to implement 'private rooms' for the clients who wish to pay extra to get extra. Please meet me in my office tonight or tomorrow to see details about the deal. Goodnight, everyone." He smiled and limped over to his office. Most of the employees just wanted to change and go home for the night, so they did not approach their boss.

Edward was barely tired, he was still coming off the adrenaline high from performing, so when he saw no-one follow Oswald over to his office, he shrugged and decided that now would probably be the best time. He followed in shortly after. At this point of the night after everyone left, he had taken his mask off and replaced it with his glasses, so he could finally stop wearing the contacts that were bothering his eyes. When he walked into the office, he straightened out his suit, and took his hat off to be polite.

Oswald looked up from his desk and did a double take. "Edward! You're here to sign the private rooms contract?", he asked, already beginning to take it out along with a fancy fountain pen.

Edward’s eyes widened and his cheeks tinted pink slightly “No no no! Well, yes. But no. But. Maybe?” He blurted out. He scratched the back of his head and gave out a nervous chuckle “What I meant to say was, I’m thinking about it. I feel like with all the swarms of people I got tonight, I could bring in more business for you that way.” He stated simply, as he looked at the contract, a slight weary look in his eye.

"Well, more money for me is always great, but I want to make sure you're comfortable with doing this. You'd be surprised how many strippers don't want to have sex with clients they don't know. That just means the ones that do get tons of business." He smiled and slid him the contract. "Here. Feel free to read it and I'll be right here to clarify everything."

Edward blinked and bit his lip, looking down at the contract and began to read it word by word  
‘You wouldn’t last one minute in a private room..’  
Ed glanced up, seeing him again. He was standing right behind Oswald, staring over his shoulder and also at the contract.  
‘Me on the other hand~’  
Edward rolled his eyes, and just continued to read the rest of the contract, trying not to get distracted.  
‘Say... Why is there an ice pack on Mr. Penguins desk?’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh my, a cliffhanger~


	6. Petty Penguin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riddler is up to something~

Edward looked up and saw it, he furrowed his brows, forgetting about the contract for a minute he looked up at Oswald “Did you hurt yourself or something earlier?” He spoke, as he pointed to the half-melted bag of ice.

Oswald looked up and grabbed it quickly. "Ah, it's for my leg.", he replied quickly and threw it in the trash. "Sometimes I forget to take care of them. Apologies for my mess."  
The contract spoke heavily about condoms, being very responsive to the client, and the importance of the red button hidden under every seat in the case of an emergency.

“Oh. You’re fine. It’s your office anyway!” Edward stammered out as he waved his hands and read that part of the contract. He gritted his teeth and laughed nervously “Emergency button?” He questioned with an eyebrow raised.

"Yes. Each room has a little red button underneath the loveseat and you may use it in the case of an emergency. For example, if someone has an injury. If you see blood or hear a pop or if your client looks to be in overall distress, you should press the button to call for help immediately. Or if the client is abusing their rights on you, you may use the emergency button. Those walls are soundproof, so we won't know unless you inform us. Everything is on the employee's responsibility, so if you harm the client, they are allowed to sue or press charges against you-- not me."

“Now that’s terrifying.” He spoke with a soft laugh. He pushed the contract away and sat back in his chair with sort groan “I’ll have to think on that for a while. Now I’ll just stick to on stage work.” He spoke as he sat up and his eyes grew wide “Which reminds me! What did you think of my performance?”

"I thought your performance was..." his cheeks warms up a little. "...extravagant. You should tone it down on the winks, though. It might become over played." He stood up to slip the contract back into his drawer.  
"And you probably shouldn't keep staring at your employer during an erotic dance.", Oswald added with a smirk.

“Will do~”  
He replied in a lower, more sultry tone as he looked right into Oswald’s eyes and smirked  
“I was worried for you after I was done performing.. You see, as the curtain was coming to a close, I saw you book it out of the balcony as if your life depended on it.”  
He spoke with a sly tone, as he sat back and crossed his legs.  
“You said you had business to attend to, but I had never seen anyone run so.. fast.”

"I was informed urgently of these new contracts.", he replied coolly. "I didn't want to insult you by missing the end of your show, so I stayed until I could leave. I didn't even know that I was running."  
That tone he was using was too familiar and too... knowing. Oswald could get by anyone with his silver tongue, and he despised being made a fool of. Of course, these are much different circumstances than Edward calling him out for having a boner.

“You see, I can believe that part of it..” He began as he stood up and put his hat on the man’s desk “but the part I don’t understand, is the ice.” He concluded as he leaned and looked dead into Oswald’s eyes.  
“Normally for something as severe as a leg injury, you wouldn’t use ice or anything cold, you’d use the exact opposite actually...”  
He spoke, his tone dropping lower with every word.  
“You’d use something with a warmer touch, ice would make it worse, hm?”

"I..." Oswald immediately became defensive and stood up. "I don't appreciate your tone with me, Mr. Nygma." He spoke his name like he was spitting venom. "I would advise you to drop whatever it is you're trying pull and leave my office immediately."

He raised his arms up in defeat, shaking his hands, a small smirk still lingering on his face “No need to get so defensive, I was only playing around.” He spoke with a chuckle as he grabbed his hat off the desk and put it back on.

"Good. Now leave my sight. I plan on getting my rest early tonight.", he continued, frowning heavily towards Ed and waiting for him to walk out of his office.

Edward nodded, he placed his hand on his chest and bowed “My apologies, I’ll get out of your hair.” He spoke simply as he made his way towards the door, and promptly saw himself out.

Oswald huffed the moment his door was closed. "The nerve.", he muttered and finished a few of his files before calling his driver to take him home.  
The following evening, Oswald purposefully avoided Ed all throughout the club. He wasn't even there during his performance, and his performance specifically. If Edward asked for him, each lackey would inform him that 'Mr. Cobblepot is busy at the moment'.

Edward was in his dressing room at the moment, all alone staring into the mirror after his performance “If wasn’t for you butting in last night, Mr. Penguin wouldn’t be avoiding me like the plague.”  
Ed spat as he heard the other chuckle in the mirror and look back at him with fake hurt in his eyes  
‘I was being logical, I knew he wasn’t telling the whole truth..’  
Edward shook his head and proceeded to take off his glasses and rub his temples “He is not a man to be made a fool out of.” He stated simply, ignoring anything else that the other would have to say. Once he was done fixing himself up in the mirror he decided to go sneaking around, trying to find Oswald so that he could apologize profusely.

Oswald was outside his own office, speaking with another employed muscle man. "Boss, you missed the performance. It was a big hit with the crowd."  
"I don't give a damn what the crowd thinks right now, the whole point is that it's The Riddler. And that smartass little string bean ticked me off, so he's getting nothing from me."

Edward was about to round a corner, but then heard the sound of Oswald’s voice and stopped, he pressed his back up to the wall and peaked over to see him with two of his lackeys. He mentally cursed, but then whipped his head back so he wouldn’t be noticed.

"That seems a little extreme. I thought Riddler was ya favourite."  
Oswald scoffed loudly. "Maybe before, but now he's getting to cocky. And too... weird. The point is, just keep telling him I'm busy. I'll quit all of this tomorrow." He walked back into his office. And the lackey walked in the opposite direction of Ed.

Edward waited another minute before going down the hall to his office. He frowned to himself as he replayed what Oswald said about him in his head. Too weird.. that stung. He let out a hearty sigh, just standing there feeling sorry for himself wouldn’t change anything. He marched his way to Oswald’s office and knocked on the door.

"Come in.", he sighed from the other door. "What do you--" he saw the green man stand at his office door and let out a small sigh. "My bad, I thought you were someone important. Step out, Mr. Nygma." He waved his hand and looked back at his documents.

Edward normally would’ve just left and went to go and wallow in self pity, but this time he was standing his ground “I apologize. I shouldn’t take up too much of your time.” He spoke with a timid, yet determined tone as he stepped in.

"You shouldn't be taking up my time at all.", he replied in a forceful tone. "Tonight is a busy night. Out. Now." His features were contorted to a heavy frown.

Edward bit his tongue harshly, drawing a little bit of blood in his mouth, much to his surprise “I’m sorry, but no.” He spoke in a tone that equally matched Oswald’s, perhaps a bit louder though. It scared him, he wasn’t really the type to be assertive.  
“I am here because I wanted to sincerely apologize to you for my actions yesterday. There’s no excuse. It was disgusting behavior.”  
He finished as he kept his eyes downcast to the floor.  
“Now that I have that off my chest, I’ll leave now.”  
He spoke with what sounded like hurt in his tone as he opened the door.

Oswald heard the hurt in his voice and immediately gained sympathy for him. "Ed..." he watched him open the door. "Edward, wait..." he stood up and limped towards the man, clasping him gently by the wrist.  
"I should be the one apologizing. I've been avoiding you out of mere petty behavior all night." He gulped and paused slowly. "So, I'm sorry for that. And I'm sorry I missed your performance."

Edward nodded, his face still looked somewhat sad, but he tried to give a small smile “it’s okay.” He said softly as looked down at the man “It was a weak performance tonight, anyway.” He chuckled.

"Don't say that. I heard the crowd loved it.", he insisted, rubbing his wrist gently and looking into his eyes.

“Anyone will go crazy if you just take your shirt off.” He spoke with a shrug of his shoulders. He looked down and into Oswald’s eyes.

"You're doubting yourself, again.", he chuckled lightly. "You're talented, Ed. Much more talented than any of the other people I hired here. You did great, I know you did. You have so much potential in this life." Oswald smiled and opened the door to his office. "Let's go. I was supposed to greet the guests with everyone."

Edward smiled, still looking down at Oswald as he shrugged his shoulders slightly “But the womennnn they’re going to try and drunkenly touch me againnnn.” Ed jokingly whined as he walked out of the office “But on a real note, they get waaay too handsy.”

"Then I'll stay around you. I was thinking of make new rule for employees to speak of. Limited touching unless warranted by the individual." As they descended to the lobby, Oswald let go of his arm and let the women flock to him. "Ladies, please, behave yourselves. This is supposed to be a respected establishment."

Edward chuckled softly, trying to relax a bit around all of them. He smiled, and looked over at Oswald “You heard the man ladies, don’t get too handsy, wouldn’t want to have to escort any of you away, that would be a shame.” He spoke, his voice a bit more suave and charming, which made some of the girls swoon.

The girl respectfully kept their distance, only ever touching his hands and forearms rather than everywhere else. Near the end of the night, a girl came by Oswald and asked him if she could have her own private room with him.  
"Apologies, ma'am, but Riddler needs to sign a contract to involve himself with the private rooms. There are two dancers who have happily applied just this morning.", the man smiled.

Edward joked around with a few of the ladies, acting rather flirty with all of them, but soon, one by one they all began to leave, once they had all gone, Edward turned over towards Oswald. “Thanks, without you here, I would fear they would begin to get all handsy again...” He spoke with a dramatic tone “Someone got down on their knees and was stroking my ankle, my god it was weird... but flattering in a way?” He half joked, running a hand through his hair, some curls coming down as he did so, as a result of the gel being brushed out.

Oswald laughed with him as well. "I'll be honest, I've had some kiss my feet-- but only to beg for forgiveness." The man smirked and turned the corner. "The private rooms become available tomorrow, by the way, so say no to anyone who asks."

Edward nodded furiously, a smirk on his face “Yes sir!” He spoke with a serious tone. he followed the man close behind “I hope they don’t try anything tomorrow...” He mumbled quietly to himself.

"Certainly not. We have cameras in the entire establishment other than those rooms. If anyone tries to force you into anything, we'll have proof of it and I would strongly advise you to report it to security."

Edward hummed softly in response as he continued to follow suit behind Oswald “Don’t worry, if anything happens, I’ll report it immediately.”

"Wonderful. Now, if you don't mind, I will be going back to my office. Have a good night, Riddler." Oswald smiled and limped away.

“You too, Mr. Penguin.” He waved as he then made his way out of the establishment and to his home, he was glad he solved things with Oswald, and smiled at the memory of how sympathetic and caring he became during the whole situation. That man was truly remarkable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yay back to soft times  
> **new chapter tomorrow because school's out~**


	7. Unexpected Visitors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> unexpected visitors arive at the iceberg lounge~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> don't freak out too much over the Kristen/Edward tag. it's not gonna last long. I didn't trick you into reading a Kringlema pic lol.

In his office, Oswald decided not to avoid Edward like a petty child any longer. Instead, he would give him extra attention-- considering this is absolutely what he deserves. Ed deserves to be loved and praised and cherished for all of his talents. And he regretted insulting him just to make a point.  
The next two days, Sunday and Monday, all the employees had their days off from work. Tuesday, Oswald expected to find his favourite little star chipper for a new day on the job.

Edward showed up a bit earlier than the rest on Tuesday. He looked a little bit tired, but he also looked determined and ready for another day on the job, he began to look around for his employer, and ended up walking to his office in hopes of finding him there.

Oswald was not in his office, but he was walked outside of it. The employer noticed his favourite little dancer and beamed. "Edward!", he greeted. "It's good to see you again. Are you planning something special for tonight's show?"  
Edward smiled a big dorky grin when he saw Oswald come out of his office, happy and eager to see him “I may or may not have something planned, you’ll just have to wait and see.”

He chuckled and reached out to pat his shoulder. "Wonderful. Just keep in mind what I said about staring at me. I'd encourage you to focus on the patrons instead. Oh-- and I was considering having every Friday be a themed night. For example-- ladies' night, boys' night and a few others that are still in the development phase. With your brilliant mind, I was hoping you could aid me with this tomorrow."

Edward chuckled and nodded, looking down and into the eyes of the smaller man with a giddy look “I would be happy to assist you in any possible way I can, Mr. Penguin. It would truly be an honor.” He spoke, giving the man a smile.

"Perfect, thank you for cooperating. I also believe the customers would be more inclined to pay money if most of the entertainers stand by the door to greet them.", he smiled and started walking off. "Now, please, get dressed."

“Yes sir.” He spoke eagerly as he walked down the opposite way and towards his dressing room. Once he was there, he began to take his costume out of the locker, along with the hat he placed in the locker above.  
‘He’s been giving you a lot more attention recently..’  
Edward didn’t even turn around, not daring to give the other any sort of attention.  
‘I wonder why that is.’  
Edward turned around and walked right past the carbon-copy, taking off his casual clothes and dressing himself into his costume “Don’t get me in trouble tonight, I don’t want to have to keep apologizing to Mr. Penguin.”  
‘Ohhhhh? So what went down is all my fault? My bad, I guess I’m just too honest and blunt for my own good.’  
He replied, tone dripping with sarcasm.  
“Don’t make a fool out of him.” Edward replied simply as he had finished putting on his costume and began to work on his hair in the mirror “Because he will try and make a fool out of you.”  
The other took that as a challenge, and smiled at Ed through the mirror.  
‘Well, we shall see won’t we?’

That night, as the customers poured in, something possibly terrifying to Ed occurred. Kristen Kringle and Leslie Thompkins had come inside to see the new club.  
"I'm so glad you came with me. I don't know what I would've done with all these muscly guys around me.", Kristen giggled and walked with Lee to grab a drink.

Meanwhile, oblivious to Edward, he was still getting ready, making sure all of his things were prepared for that night. Though he wasn’t partaking in the private rooms, he decided he would give an even better performance tonight to make up for it, hoping it would appease the guests, and most importantly his employer, once he was all ready, he decided to take Oswald’s advice and go out to greet all of the other guests.

Oswald was out in the hall as well, but he was being more of an observer. When he saw Riddler's bright green suit, he smiled and walked by him. "Why don't you greet the two ladies by the bar?", he asked, gesturing lightly towards Kristen and Lee.

Edward looked over at the two that Oswald was gesturing towards and his eyes widened. He could hear a laugh in the back of his mind.  
‘Oh, you’re in trouble now Eddie!’  
Edward gulped, it was Kristen. Out of all the people who would come, why in the world was she in a place like this?! He took in a deep breath and tried to calm himself down.  
‘Why don’t you relax a little bit? I can take care of this...’

After a moment, his eyes weren’t wide anymore. He looked down at Oswald and gave him a curt nod, and walked over to the two ladies with ease, catching the eye of Kristen immediately.

The woman saw The Riddler, and she looked him up and down while sipping her cocktail from a cute swirly straw. "Hi~.", she greeted the green man simply. Lee interjected with a small smile. "Hello, what's your name?", the medical professional asked him.

The man gave a little bow, smirking softly as he took off his hat “You can call me, The Riddler.” He spoke coolly, as he looked into Kristen’s eyes, then over at Lee “And what might your lovely names be?~”

"I'm Lee, and this is Kristen.", she smiled, to which Kristen simple waved and observed his getup. "Are you going to be performing on stage?", she asked him, still sipping her drink.

The man nodded in return, smiling warmly at the two as he put his hat back on “Yes, I will be. I can’t wait for you both to see it.” He spoke as he looked over at Lee, then back down at Kristen “I must be going, but it was lovely to meet you both.” He looked back at Kristen one more time, gave her a wink, then excused himself to get backstage and prepare some things he was going to bring out during his performance.

Kristen giggled excitedly. "He's so handsome!", he squealed and gushed over him with Lee until the announcements came on. The two girls rushed to find a seat and paid attention during the show. Oswald was in his balcony seat, observing everything.  
"Ladies and gents, welcome to the Iceberg Lounge! We hope your evening will be enjoyable and tasteful. Up first, Barbara Queen and Tabby Cat with their magic act!" The performances began, accompanied with strips during or after the talented men and women.  
"And for our final act, The Riddler is here to steal your hearts away with a piano piece." Many patrons cheered for his name even before he began. "He must be very popular.", Lee muttered to Kristen as they paid extra attention to the showing. Oswald paid extra attention, too~.

Edward stepped out onto the stage, reveling in all the cheers he was being given. Every time he has performed on stage, all thoughts leave his mind and he feels truly free. He went to the front of the stage, took off his hat, and gave a curt bow, before heading over to the piano. As he did the first night, he placed his hat on the top of the piano, and sat down with grace. He took in a breath, and began to play.  
The last two nights he had played and sung the same song, but this night.  
He had another one in mind.  
Strangely enough, the song had been randomly suggested by one of the many drunk girls the previous night.  
He wasn’t really one to follow by suggestion, since he marched to the best of his own drum, but he gave the song a listen.  
And thought it would be perfect.  
He began to play the various chords that came before the first verse, and did it with ease. Then, he began to sing.  
“Baby, can you see, I’m calling. A guy like you, should wear a warning~”

Kristen began to swoon already. "He's such a good singer!", he whispered to Lee, who happily agreed with her. Oswald leaned on his railing, listening to his beautiful and talented voice projected from his lapel mic. He'd be sure to put song requests as another way to make profit.

Edward continued to play, he kept it nice and sweet in the beginning, but when he neared the chorus he pressed harder on the keys and whipped his head back, giving the song a more dramatic flair, while still keeping it nice and sultry. At one part in the song, he just played a little instrumental bit and hummed along, then came back in with the singing.  
He soon concluded the song, playing the final chords as he was bit his lip and slammed his hands passionately on the final note.

Oswald clapped loudly for his piano performance. He was so impressed by how his hands glided across the keys and how little time he needed to learn it. 

Thunderous applause erupted into the room, and he smiled. He stood from the piano bench, took his hat, and gave another bow.  
He walked towards the front of the stage, and put his hat back on, he look at some of the guests and winked sparingly, which caused more uproar. During the chaos, the man took his time to quickly glance up at Oswald and smirk lustfully at him. He then looked back down, and put a finger to his lips, which caused everyone to become dead quiet.

Kristen and Lee began to get giddy when he strode near the pole and set up a hole new performance. Oswald was intrigued to see how Ed's improvisational skills would come into play.

The music came on after a moment, filling the entire place with his sultry jazz number he had shown Oswald previously a few days ago.  
Instead of beginning to strip immediately like he did the last two nights, this night he started on the pole.  
He circled it a few times, looking out at the audience with a hungry look, as if he was a predator, and they were his prey.  
He softly began to grind his hips on the pole, his eyes became half-lidded, and his face looked dark, mischievous, seductive.  
After a while of being on the pole, Edward stepped away from it, and reached his hand up to his tie, which caused some premature screams in the audience. He tried to pull it loose, but ended up doing the opposite. It tightened around his neck which caused him to throw his head back and let out a soft, seductive growl. It finally came loose though, and he let it fall to the floor naturally. He looked back out into the audience, and caught Kristen’s eyes. He bit his lip and gave her a smile, then continued with his routine.

All the women in the audience were cheering and swooning for him already. Kristen responded to the smirk with a smile of her own, her and Lee responding positively to his growls. Oswald was certainly responding positively up in his balcony seat.

Edward cursed at himself mentally for letting his tie get tight like that again, but the audience seemed to like it, so he played it off effortlessly.  
The song he was dancing to got more and more sultry as it went on, so he really had to match it with what he would do.  
The next thing to go was his coat, he wasted no time sliding it off his arms, then throwing it behind him. He strode back over to the pole.  
Once there, he gripped it with his right hand and jumped up.  
While in the air, he wrapped both legs around the pole, and caught himself halfway up. Both hands were on now, and he had a daring idea.  
If it went wrong.  
He might just fall right down, and that wouldn’t look cute at all.  
He slowly unwrapped his left leg from the pole, and stretched it out, kicking high above his head, he then took it up even more by using one of his hands that was wrapped round the pole and outstretching it gracefully.  
After some applause from that, he slid down the pole, and realized he was nearing the end of the song.  
He went back over towards the front of the stage, and began to unbutton his shirt.  
He did it slowly, taunting the audience, and while he did so, he began to stretch out his legs..?  
No. Oh no.  
He was sliding into the splits, slowly.  
And sexily.  
Halfway through, his shirt was all the way unbuttoned, and he threw it off.  
He wrapped his hands around his chest, hugging himself, while then proceeding to drag his hands slowly all around his naked torso.  
While he was doing this, he was slowly sliding more and more into a split.  
He ended the song with finally falling to the floor in a fully realized split, hands still wrapped around his body, head and chin up, to show off his neck and Adam’s apple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oooo! juicy stuff is about to come tomorrow. the schedule for this pic might change because im going to France this Sunday. btw I will be adding tags about the chapter ahead in the meantime. also, the 7/18 thing is going to change. I have 18 chapters prepared, but that is not the total, I promise. fun fact, at 18 chapters, my document is nearly 100 pages long~


	8. In The Private Room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kristen, if you haven't noticed, kinda wants to fuck the Riddler

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> couldn't help but do a double upload~

The audience cheered loudly, clapped, and threw bills in his direction. Kristen reached into her purse and threw a $20 towards him with a wide smile. The curtains were drawn and Ed could be able to pick up his clothes and all the money thrown onto the stage.  
"Give it up for The Riddler!", the announcer said over the intercom. "Thank you for participating in the events at the Iceberg Lounge. Private rooms are now available with select entertainers, so get a move on and mingle!"  
The first few performers stepped out, approached by patrons to ask about the private rooms. Oswald stepped out to greet guests and check up on employees as always.

It took Edward a bit to get himself all cleaned up and organized after his performance. He hummed to himself as he put all of his clothes back on and fixed his hair. He put his hat back on and made his way out to the main area, smiling at the various patrons.

Of course, women surrounded him, but Oswald was quick to recite the 'limited touching' rule. Kristen approached him respectfully by herself. "Riddler, your performance was amazing! They totally saved the best for last.", he complimented him with a smile.

Edward smiled warmly, a small blush appearing on his cheeks “Thank you, that’s very kind of you to say, I sincerely appreciate it.” He spoke, as he looked into Kristen’s eyes and felt his chest tighten.

She didn't speak for a while, just looking at his handsome face and picking on which words to say. "So, are you available for the 'private rooms'?", she inquired in a low tone. Her fingers were gently rubbing the sleeves of his jacket, just ever so slowly with that wide smile of hers.

Ed felt his eyelids grow slightly heavy, he smirked softly, and let out a soft yet dramatic sigh “Unfortunately I’m not, my dear.” He spoke, his tone just slightly above a whisper, eyes still locked into hers.

She sighed as well. "That's such a shame. You should sign up or apply or whatever you have to do to use the private room." Her hands slowly slid up his arms, rubbing squeezing the muscle there. "I really need a closer look at you~."

Edward’s eyes widened for a brief moment, his lips parted and mouth slightly agape in surprise. But he quickly shut it and chuckled softly. He leaned in close, head right over her shoulder.  
“I’ll sign up just for you, and no one else, my dear~”

She shuddered and giggled in delight. "I'll have to save my money then~."  
Oswald suddenly cut in. "Riddler, may I speak with you for a moment? In private?" His eyes gave a signal of urgency.

Edward hummed in response, giving Kristen a wink “Yes sir.” He spoke, as he gave Kristen a bow, and looked at Oswald “Lead the way.”

Oswald lead him into his office and sharply turned on his heel. "You know her, Ed. She's an employee at the GCPD, and so is another woman named Leslie Thompkins. Care to explain?" He tapped his good foot with crossed arms.

“What is there to say?” He asked with a blunt tone, taking his hat off and throwing it into a nearby chair “Yes I do know her from work, but I would never do anything to compromise my identity to her...” at least. Not now... he blushed slightly, oh Kristen. He always had such a fascination with her... but she never felt the same about him. He bit his lip softly as he thought about this.

"You need to be careful around her and her friend. She asked for a private room with you. I'm not letting you sleep with a work associate, the situation will go down the tubes."

Edward became a little bit defensive “No it won’t. I’m not an idiot.” He spoke with an aggravated tone as he crossed his hands behind his back. His cheeks turned red, and his eyes were now downcast to the floor.  
‘Hah! Even with a mask on, you still can’t get the girl you want!’

"I know you aren't, but sleeping with her would be dishonest. You would want to reveal yourself at one point or another." He sighed and sat down at his desk. "As your employer, I have the right to withhold services from certain clients. And under your contract, you are not allowed to be intimate with any patron unless they pay or you are off work."

The man physically and emotionally, deflated. He let out a sigh, and went over to the chairs in front of the man’s desk and slumped down into one of them. He didn’t saw anything as he just crossed his arms and put his head down. He was upset, but didn’t want to say anything on the matter.

Oswald sighed. He hated seeing his star upset. "Why don't you just pursue her at work? I would be perfectly fine if you and her became romantic outside of my club." He reached over his desk and rubbed the man's shoulder.

At those words he sunk even further into his chair. A visible frown on his face as he reached up and took his glasses off. “Can’t do that...” He said with a sigh as he looked sadly into Oswald’s eyes “She thinks I’m weird too...”

"Then why would you want to be with her? Lying to her and becoming intimate with her through a disguise just means that she doesn't like you for you." He stood up again and cupped his employee's face. "You are extraordinary. A unique and wonderful human being. Someone who I am proud to be allies, to be friends with. Whoever thinks you're weird or whatever insult they try to justify their behaviours with is jealous of you. You are a great man, Edward, and I know you will be even greater."

Edwards eyes lit up, his cheeks grew beet red, and a smile was threatening its way onto his lips “You’re right, Mr. Penguin.” He said simply as he lifted his head up, and was no longer slouching. He looked into the man’s eyes and gave him a soft, comforting smile “I’m honored that you would call me a friend.”

"Of course I'm your friend, Ed. Who wouldn't want to be friends with you? Handsome, intelligent, creative, caring? You're every woman's dream and a delight to have around."

The man felt his chest tighten at those words, he also felt his face getting a little too hot for his own comfort. He ignored it, just thinking there was something wrong with the air circulation in the room “I’m flattered, really.” He spoke, his voice somewhat raspy from how nervous he was getting

"I feel as though I need to remind you more often how great you are. Clearly everyone around you hasn't recognized it-- simpletons..." he walked towards his door. "Would you care to keep greeting guests?"

Edward stood there for a second, he waved his hand and sat back down into the seat “I’ll come down in a minute, I just need a moment... I think.” He spoke simply, as he ran a hand through his hair, and laid back.

Oswald smiled understandably and patted his shoulder with a light touch. "Feel free to. I'll be in the lobby if you need me." With that, he limped out of the room and made his way towards the bar.

The moment Oswald left, Edward let out a heavy sigh and rested his head in his hands. He felt. Confused.. he couldn’t exactly pinpoint why he was feeling like that, which made him even more confused.  
‘Think about it. Your chest tightened, your face got all red. What does that usually mean?’  
He looked up and saw the man sitting across from him in Oswald’s chair  
‘Little Eddie has a crush~’  
“No. No. I don’t. It’s just. The air. And the costumes too tight. And it’s abnormally warm in here...”  
‘Keep telling yourself that buddy.’  
He spoke as he got up from the seat and sat down next to Edward.  
‘I think, we need to have. A little more fun. Don’t you agree?’

Kristen tried to look around for Riddler after noticing Oswald was back in the lobby. She approached him when unsuccessful. "Mr. Cobblepot, where is The Riddler?"  
"He's taking a rest and isn't to be disturbed."  
"Will he be available for the private rooms?", she asked in an optimistic tone.  
"I'm afraid not, no.”

After a while, Edward was no longer in Oswald’s office. He went back out to the main area to see everyone had left for the night. He filled the empty space with his humming, as he made his way over past the stage, and ended up finding the private rooms. Curiosity getting the better of him, he opened one of the doors, and walked in.

Inside it was a loveseat, a stripper pole, a bedside table, and a heart shaped bed further on. Not to mention it being accompanied by lighting options, clearly soundproof walls, and romantic decorations. Suddenly, someone else opened the door to the private room. "Hello, Riddler~.", Kristen smiled sweetly. "I saw you come in here and... well, um..."

Edward turning around, and was stunned when he saw the woman. He thought everyone had gone home for the night “Oh, hello.” He spoke simply, he was standing in the center of the room, he then approached her “And just what might you be doing here after hours?” He inquired with a tilt of his head.

"The club still hasn't closed, and I was looking for you.", she smiled and walked towards him as well. "But while we're here..." her hand reached for his and was quick to slide up his arm.

Edward gulped softly, his eyes wide as he stumbled back a bit “I hate to disappoint, but my employer doesn’t want me doing any private rooms this evening, or anytime in the near future..” It wasn’t entirely a lie, after being denied one with her, he didn’t really have any motivation to do them in general so he just wasn’t going to sign the contract. Besides, Oswald had opened his eyes up about the situation. She only liked The Riddler for being suave and coy, but she didn’t like Edward Nygma, the man he was underneath the mask.  
“I wouldn’t want to get in trouble, or have you getting into any.”

She sighed, though it sounded more like a huff. "Okay, then..." she crossed her arms, leaving any trace of her hands on him. "...I guess I really can't force anything onto you. It's fine, I get it." Kristen turned to leave the room. "I hope you have a good night, Riddler." With that she left rather underwhelmed.

Edward couldn’t help but feel a bit upset turning down the woman he admired for so long, but he was only following the rules that his employer set in place, and he didn’t want to be unprofessional and break anything.  
‘You’ve become like his little pet, haven’t you?’  
Edward whipped his head around and flared heavily as his doppelgänger sat on the bed  
‘Following his orders, sucking up to him. You wanted to use this as a place to explore a darker side of yourself, yet here you are still following all the rules like you do at the GCPD.’  
Edward clenched his fists, wanting to punch him. But he just sighed heavily. Even though he was a pain, he was right. But at the same time he respect Oswald so much that he didn’t want to do anything to misplace his trust in him.  
‘Let me go talk to Oswald, discuss our... dilemma..’  
With that, The Riddler then left the room to go find Oswald.


	9. The Limp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> oh no more angst nooo

Oswald had just closed the club and informed everyone they were allowed to go home. Edward entered the lobby, and he caught the Penguin about to leave for his office. His limp was killing him recently, and he needed to take a small break and hire someone to make it feel better.

He was going to say something, but then he noticed how hard the man was limping “Mr. Penguin?” The man called out as he caught up to Oswald, and he now stood in front of him.

Oswald stopped in his tracks. How could he walk so fast? In heels, no less. "What is it, friend?", he asked with a helpful smile. The man expected Edward to just say goodnight and go home.

Edward looked down at Oswald’s leg, then back up at the man’s face “I saw you limping, extra harshly. I was wondering if you were alright.”

"Oh--" he steadied himself a bit. "I'm perfectly fine, Ed. No need to worry." He planned on walking past the other to get to his office. "But, I'm thankful for your concern. Have a good night."

Edward didn’t move. “Mr. Penguin.” He spoke a bit more sternly, but there was remnants of what looked like sympathy on his face “You don’t have to lie, I can tell clear as day it’s bothering you.” He spoke as he looked down at the man’s limp. “I can help you, if you’d like...”

The man's cheeks slowly turned pink and he looked away. "Don't be foolish, I don't need you to help me. As I said, I'm fine."

“Mr. Penguin, please.” He spoke, his tone a bit deeper than it was previously “If you were fine you would’ve already walked past me and to your office.”

"Edward, that's enough.", he spat out, quickly recollecting himself with a sigh. "I appreciate your concern very much, but I'm not in the mood to be berated by your constant insistence on helping me. I'm. Fine. That is that." He brushed past the man and bumped his shoulder along the way only to spite him.

“How is it berating?” The man questioned as he followed behind him, eyeing the way the man walked “I’m your friend, aren’t I? How is offering help so bad?” He asked bluntly.

"Because I don't need your help!", he finally shouted, turning on his heel and stomping down his good foot. "Leave me alone already!" Oswald turned around, grumbling to himself as he limped to his office.

“Your stubbornness isn’t very charming!” Edward commented from afar as he gave out a big sigh, and continued to walk and catch up with him.

"Edward, just go home.", he said sternly, opening his office door. "You're working my last nerve, if I'm being honest."

“I’m not going home till you admit you need my help.” He spoke up, as he now stood across from Oswald as he opened the door “I can be stubborn too.”

"Do you really need my approval that much?", he mocked him and shut the door on the man. He then pressed down a button on the device on his desk. "If Mr. Nygma does not leave the establishment in the next ten minutes, please escort him to his address.", he spoke through the receiver.

“Not so much the approval need, more so I just want to help.” He spoke with an annoyed tone, thankfully the man didn’t lock the door so he let himself in and shut it behind him “Your temper is ridiculous.”

"Get out of my office. You have no respect for my privacy or my authority. I am your employer, when I tell you something you do it.", he continued on, face beginning to turn red. His swept back hair looked a little frazzled, too.

“Why's your face red?” The man inquired as he walked over to the man’s desk. He placed his hands on the desk and looked up and into his eyes.

"What?" The question caught him off guard at first, but he was very quick to resume his fight with Ed. "I'm sick of your attitude today, Ed. I'm suspending you from work for three days." He shoved Edward aside and pressed the button down again. "Please escort Mr. Nygma out of my office immediately.", he ordered.

Edward took a deep breath in, then out. Folding his arms in front of his chest “Your face is still red.” He pointed out, his tone unamused by what Oswald had just done. “My point has been proven. Stubbornness can be a result of, not trusting others. Which makes me believe firmly that you, don’t trust me.”

"All you had to do was listen and leave me alone, but you just wanted to come to me and make me feel weak." His lackeys quickly came in and grabbed Ed, lifting his feet off the ground as they carried him outside. And even continued out onto the street. They carried him only by the arms when he was out in public, but they dropped him off at home nonetheless.  
"You better not tick the boss off again.", one of the muscle men advised. "He liked you, ya know?" They both walked back over to the club.

Edward didn’t say anything, he just opened his door, and shut it behind him before locking it. He didn’t even bother to get changed, he threw off his coat, and hat, and plopped himself down into his bed and shut his eyes, sleeping coming to him quickly.

Oswald was in a raging fit for the rest of the night. He complained for a good twenty minutes about it to one of his lackeys. During the days of Edward's suspension, he was noticeably bitter and quick to smash glasses of whiskey. The day Edward was supposed to come back-- payday-- Oswald avoided him once again. However, this one was more blatant. Instead of hiding away, he was out in the open, but he actively refused to acknowledge Ed.

With Edward coming back in to receive his money for working, he did the same thing Oswald did. He didn’t even look at him, speak to him, or acknowledge him. Instead he did something unexpected.  
He mingled.  
He talked to his fellow co-workers he never really had an interest in talking to, and actually seemed to be enjoying himself.

The coworkers were worried about him, asking what he did to get a suspension and that they were glad he was back.  
Oswald was content in not being bothered by Ed. No use having a nuisance around when you don't want one.

Ed just brushed it off and said the following:  
“What happened, happened. And it’s over now.”  
He said simply, some coworkers still a bit suspicious, others brushed it off with him.  
There was no use in talking to Oswald if it was a one-sided friendship. It was also his first experience of having a, “friend.” And from what happened, he thought he would be fine not having one if they were as temperamental as he.

Even though Oswald was upset with the other, he still watched all the showings that night. At the final act, the crowd cheered much louder than before, happy to have The Riddler back on stage.

Edward performed as if he was there the last previous nights, it switched up the songs, but nevertheless the crowd still seemed to love it. While performing, Edward didn’t look up at Oswald once throughout the entirety, and he kept his gaze fixated on the crowd below. When he was done playing piano and singing, he began his strip tease piece, and this one wasn’t like the previous ones.  
He started on the pole, which he had never done before, and he showed off how flexible he was, how his legs could stretch, how bendable and graceful his body was. Towards the end of the performance, he had ditched the coat, his dress shirt was half buttoned, and his hair looked like he had just had a one night stand with someone.  
And it was.  
Hot.  
He concluded his performance by grabbing his hat from off the piano and throwing it out into the crowd.  
Unbeknownst to him, he threw it a bit-too high up and it landed right in Oswald’s lap.  
He bowed to all the cheers and winked as the lights went down and the curtain closed/

Just like Edward to throw his hat directly on top of his ice pack. With all the anger built up in his body, seeing something arousing like Ed's performance made him pop a boner very quickly.  
Later on, after announcements were called and everyone was out in the lobby, Oswald kept himself in his office, smothering his hard cock with ice. Edward's hat was sitting on the desk in front of him, a reminder to hand it back to the man when he had the chance.

Once Edward got to his dressing room, he folded up his coat and put it in the locker, but he kept the shirt on and buttoned it back up. He also took off his mask, and replaced it with his glasses so he could see a bit better. He was going to fix his hair, but got too lazy and thought it looked fine. No one had returned his hat from his knowledge, so he headed down to Oswald’s office to see if the man had it. Without knocking, he entered the office.

Oswald jumped at the sound and opened his gun drawer as quickly as possible. Until he realized it was just Edward. With a sigh, he closed the drawer and held the ice pack to his crotch from underneath the desk. "You're supposed to knock.", he said to his employee.

Edward shrugged his shoulders as he avoided eye contact and walked up to the desk to retrieve his hat. “My apologies.” He said bluntly as he went to grab the hat but ended up pushing it off the desk and onto the floor on Oswald’s side. He huffed and began to walk over to the other side to retrieve it.

Oswald did his best to grab it off the floor and give it back to Ed in time, but he feared that he had already seen it. The boss tried to play it off, as if he didn't even care that Edward saw the ice pack on his crotch. "It was very close to hitting me in the face. Don't throw it again.", he scolded nonchalantly.

Edward took the hat slowly from Oswald and nodded, he placed it back on his head, and blinked “Mr. Penguin. Not that it’s any of my business...”  
He began, his voice also nonchalant, he leaned over the desk and got a much clear glimpse of the man’s lap.  
“Why do you have ice on your crotch?”

"I'm not entitled to tell you. You're smart, go ahead and figure it out for yourself.", the boss replied coldly, shifting nervously in his seat.

Edward nodded, he was still leaned over the desk. He looked up into Oswald’s eyes, then back down “Oh.” He said simply, his glasses falling forward slightly.  
“So my incline my first night was correct?” He spoke, his voice just above a whisper tone as he referenced the the very first night he performed and how Oswald strangely disappeared right after.

All the man did was stare, but he didn't challenge his words one bit. Who even cared anymore? What was there to make a fuss about? Oswald was mad at Edward for disrespecting him, that was all.

“I’m sorry for my actions a few nights ago.”  
He spoke simply, eyes still staring down at the man’s iced lap.  
“I didn’t mean to make you upset. I was only trying to offer assistance and got... peeved when you brushed me off.”  
He stated with a shrug as he finally looked back up and locked eyes with Oswald.

Oswald sighed heavily. "I'm sorry for snapping at you then. I'm very agitated about my leg, and I don't need a helping hand. Your insistence made me think you were trying to make fun of me."

“Never my intention.” He took in a big breath of air, and exhaled slowly through his nose “So.” He began as he leaned back and stood up straight.  
“Now I understand you don’t want help when it comes to your leg.”  
He stated simply, looking as if he had understood.  
“But would you like some help, with your current... predicament?”

Oswald looked Edward up and down, a blush creeping onto his cheeks. His hand pressed the ice pack harder against his 'penguin'. "I-I have all the resources I need, thank you.", he replied quickly.

“Are you sure?” His eyebrows raised, he leaned back towards him over the desk, closer than before  
“Ice only works for so long....”

Oswald let out a small sigh, casually placing his ice pack onto his desk. "Lock the door. No one can know."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> c l I f f h a n g e r
> 
> also, im getting onto my flight for France! Chapter 10 will be back in two days!


	10. No One Can Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *cue Robin's voice moaning*

Edward smirked. He turned around and walked to the door, humming softly to himself as he locked it. When he turned back around, he took his hat off and tossed it onto one of the other office chairs with ease. “That was easier than I thought it would be..” He spoke softly as he walked around the desk, slowly making his way towards Oswald.

Oswald let out another sigh and slowly unbuckled his belt. "I haven't done this kind of thing… ever… so don't blame me if I'm rusty." The man slid his belt out through the loops. "Your performance was very erotic this evening. I enjoyed the messy look of your hair, for once."

“Oh? I’m honored.”  
He went behind the man, and put his hands on his shoulders, massaging them as he watched him take his belt off.  
“I’m glad you liked it~”  
He spoke deeply into the man’s ear, a smirk now upon his lips.

Oswald let out a shuddering breath and leaned back to get more of it. His cock twitched and throbbed in his pants with new, direct pleasure coming into contact with him. His deepened, more growling tone of voice turned Oswald in very much.

With Oswald leaning back into him, his chest pressed firmly against the man’s shoulder and head. He began to hum softly, still messaging the man’s shoulder, and his gaze lingered down to Oswald’s pants.

The man let his eyes close fully, relaxing into Edward's touches and all.

“Is it my performance that turns you on, or is it all of them combined?” He inquired, still rubbing into the man’s shoulders.

"It's always yours~.", he admitted, fingers clutching at the fabric of his tight pants. "I'm not really a fan of all the other sleazy strips from the buff men I hired~." This relaxing massage was almost like a weapon-- a way to make him spill out all his feelings.

Edward hummed in contentment, satisfied with the answer he got. “I’m glad to know you like my performances that much~” He purred softly into the man’s ear, chuckling a bit with how the man just seemed to melt into his touch.

Oswald let out a quiet moan from hearing that sound. Ugh, Edward was playing him like a fiddle~.  
"I thought you were s-supposed to be helping my little problem~.", he grunted out, opening his eyes which were half-lidded and glazed with lust.

“Getting a little impatient, are we?” He cooed softly, looking down at the man’s twitching bulge with a smirk. “I would hardly call that a, ‘little problem’~.”

The man grunted again, red blush grazing his cheeks. "I'm flattered~." Oswald reached for Ed's hand on his shoulder and slowly dragged it down his chest.

Edward watched with half lidded eyes, biting his lip softly as he watched Oswald move his head down.

Oswald brought his employee's hand down to touch his erection through his suit pants. "I might just consider giving you a pay raise for this~.", he whispered in his direction.

“You don’t have to~” He whispered back as he brushed his fingers into the bulge, eyes fixated on the mans face to watch his every reaction “That’s a kind offer though, Mr. Penguin.” He growled softly into the man’s ear.

Oswald gasped from his touches, but groaned at the sound of his voice. His boss bucked his hips slightly while looking into Ed's dark eyes, begging him for more without uttering a single word.

Edward took his free hand, and slid it from the man’s shoulder to under his chin, lifting it up slightly so he could look directly into Oswald’s eyes, his nose touching his, face even more dangerously close.  
“Tell me what you want~”

He panted softly and focused heavily on the man in front of him. Oswald reached his hand up to cup Edward's face as well, slowly pulling him into a kiss. However, their lips were quick to part. "I want you, Riddler~.", he finally answered, a smile pulling at his lips. "Show me what you're capable of~."

The man’s breathing hitched in his throat, stunned by the boldness of what Oswald had just done. He smiled, and in a swift moment he slid his hand off the fabric, and into the man’s pants, returning the boldness.  
“Of course, Mr. Penguin~”

"Ahh~..." the man leaned his head back and raised his hips a small bit higher. "That's it~.", his boss encouraged. "Keep going~."

The man chuckled softly, moving his hand up and down slowly. He took in a sharp breath, letting Oswald’s head rest on his chest.

The Penguin aided his employee by unzipping his pants and pulling his cock out. He was above average for sure~.  
Oswald let go of his boner to let his friend do the work for him. He leaned back once again with closed eyes, focusing on his heavy breaths and the pleasure.

Edward wrapped his hand around the man’s cock, and slowly began to go up and down the man’s long length. He used his other hand to run his fingers through the man’s hair, humming softly.

Oswald moaned softly and occasionally, usually just panting and squeezing the arm rests of his chair. A small bead of precum dripped down his shaft.

“Using ice, must’ve been painful...” Edward commented, his voice at a soft growl and he sped up his motion softly, gripping the man’s hair a bit tighter. “It’s not healthy~” He purred softly into his ear.

Oswald moaned slightly louder and at a more frequent rate. "I've d-done it times b-before~. Works fine-- hahh~..." his hips bucked in Ed's hand while his cock throbbed.

“You could’ve just called for me, I would’ve been happy... and eager to help~” He spoke with a chuckle as he increased his speed just a tad bit more, watching the man squirm as he did so.

"You're~...really good at this~..." The shorter man released a more audible moan from his small, red lips. "Fuck~..." his hips thrusted once again. "I'm close, Ed~..."

Edward smirked, and quickened the pace even more, enjoying the little moan that came out of the man who days ago was so stubborn. He pulled the man’s hair a bit more harshly, as he looked into the man’s eyes.  
“I want you to look at me, as you come...”  
He whispered softly against the man’s lips.

Now he was loud, gripping hard at the leather seat, so hard he might have ripped the fabric. "Ah~, ahh~!" He looked dead into Edward's endlessly dark eyes. With enough stimulation, Oswald knit his eyebrows together and released ropes of white semen from his cock onto the floor of his office. "Oh, Edward~!", he moaned loudly during his climax.

At the sound of him calling out his name like he had did, Edward leaned in and pressed his lips passionately to Oswald’s. He pulled away soon after and looked towards the man’s office floor, a smirk growing on his face.  
“Oh look at that, you’ve made quite the mess.”

He slumped against his office chair, catching his breath with a half-smile and flushed face. "That was extraordinary~...", he finally said after moments of silence. Oswald recovered from his orgasm rather quickly, but still stood from his chair with shaky legs. "I'll take care of it.", he assured his employee. "Thank you~."

“It was my pleasure.” He spoke with a wink, as he stood back up. He walked around the desk and put his hat back on, letting out a soft sigh “You’re still shaking, are you alright?” He asked with a small sly smile.

"Of course I'm alright." He straightened his jacket and slipped his belt back on. He'll have a maid clean the mess. He slowly approached his favourite little dancer and stroked his arm. "I hope this is not the end of our... relations. Feel absolutely free to come by my office at any time." Oswald smiled and left a chaste kiss on his soft, rosy lips. "Have a good night, Mr. Nygma~."

“Of course. Have a goodnight yourself, Mr. Penguin.” With that, he dipped his hat and turned towards the door “I’ll see you tomorrow.” He spoke as he unlocked the door “Oh. And next time...” He turned around and looked into Oswald’s eyes. “Don’t use ice.” With that, he left the man’s office, a smirk on his face as he then made his way home.

Oswald was left with a giddy smile on his face that night. He ordered someone to clean up his mess, no questions asked, and went to bed refreshed and with no stress whatsoever. The staff noticed his shift in attitude even after the weekend break, and they were all thankful to not be victims of Mr. Cobblepot's usual toxic attitude.  
That evening, Oswald summoned Edward into his office before costume changes and makeup and all that. He sat in his large, important chair with files on the desk and spare chair on the opposite side.

Edward arrived quickly after being summoned, his hair hanging slightly in his face since it wasn’t slicked back, he was in his more casual clothes, but still looked nice and neat. He knocked on the door before letting himself in. He smiled when he saw Oswald “Good evening, Mr. Penguin.”

"Evening!", he greeted happily. "Thank you for taking the time to meet me. I'm in need of your brilliant mind." Oswald pushed the papers forward. "I would like you to circle and possibly add to this list of potential events."  
On the list were 'disco night', '80's night', 'ladies night', 'all boy/girl show', 'bunny/cat show', and a few others. The boss was clearly looking for his approval, emphasizing his trust in Ed.

Edward grabbed the papers, taking a brief look through them “Some of these would work perfectly, others are drawn out cliches. Just think of a few more to draw in perhaps some new people that haven’t been into this fine establishment.” He spoke simply with a smile as he slid the papers back over to Oswald.

"Well, I was hoping that you could come up with something." He said supportively, sliding the papers back to him. "It doesn't have a specific deadline, but I would like you to help me and my establishment rather quickly. I want your ideas to influence the business. Please let me know which ones you believe should remove and keep. A 'Riddler Approved' list, if you will."

The man blinked, surprise in his feature. He heard a chuckle in the back of his head, but shrugged it off and grabbed the papers again.  
‘Riddler approved list, hm? I’m honored~’  
The man moved around Oswald’s desk, getting a peek at the papers in front of Edward.  
Edward just sighed softly and rubbed his temples trying to get the nuisance out of his head “How about, since you’ve already thought of some pretty charming and endearing themes, how about add some that are a bit more... promiscuous. That way, people who are just getting into watching the burlesque scene, they can come see the more tame shows that have a little quirk to them, but leave the more.. show stopping ones for people who are ready to see something like that.”

"A wonderful idea." He smiled and took a pen to write something down on a different paper entirely. "You and I can brainstorm later this evening, after your show." He took the papers back and stood up. "Speaking of your performance, I'm interested in know what you plan to do this evening."

‘Now that he’s mentioned it... I don’t even know what you’re going to be doing tonight either.’  
Edward smiled, looking over at, ‘The Riddler’.  
“It wouldn’t be all too interesting if I revealed to you what I was planning on doing tonight.” He spoke, matter-of-factly.

Oswald hummed a little laugh. "Fair point. I guess I'll wait and see for myself. You're excused." The man slowly sat back down in his chair.

Edward nodded, he smiled at his employer and promptly excused himself from the room, going quickly to his dressing room to get everything ready for tonight.  
He had something planned, and was excited about how it would turn out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm now in France! The schedule is a bit flipped, but I'm still continuing to compile the fic.


	11. Roses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> rose petals and the usual boner

Oswald turned to a few of his people to think of more tasteful ideas for him and Edward to work off of later. He even did some brainstorming himself in his office.  
When the club was ready to open, Oswald was there greeting everyone with his entertainers. Tonight there were noticeably more customers.

Edward didn’t go out to greet anyone before the show that night, instead he was taking his time to elaborately plan out exactly what he was going to do on stage. He had a few props tucked away in his suit, and something stored away in his hat. He couldn’t be more thrilled for tonight’s performance.

The owner of the club tried to search for his favourite little star, but time for performances was already starting. The patrons got in their seats and Oswald limped up to his balcony seat. His fingers drummed against the railing, hoping that nothing had gone wrong with Ed as the other dancers performed.  
"And now, for our final performance, The Riddler!", the announcer said over the speakers.

Edward stepped out into the stage, same signature outfit, except this time he had skintight black gloves on his hands. He went to the front of the stage and bowed, as he normally did at the beginning of a performance, then went to go sit himself at the piano. Once he sat down, he didn’t take his hat off and place it on the bench, instead he kept it on as he began to start playing the divine instrument before him.  
Tonight... he was doing things his way.  
He didn’t need his help.  
He was able to do this without his help, because he wasn’t scared anymore.  
He played the piano, with ease, he closed his eyes, and let the music overtake him.

Oswald let out a sigh of relief when Edward made it onto the stage. Perhaps he had a hard time finding those new gloves. Where did they come from, anyway?  
The crowd clapped for him when he entered the stage and played his music. Oswald took note of the little things-- like his hat. Odd that he would keep it on, but the boss was extremely quick to let it go. What was the importance of a simple hat?

Tonight, Edward was playing a different song. Nothing with a pop tune, he opted for a jazz song.  
Frank Sinatra, being an artist he fancied whenever he was lounging around in his house. Something that was nice. He began to sing the first words, being nice and low in his register which caused some whistles in the audience.  
“I will feel a-glow, just thinking of, you.”  
He took a glance into the audience, giving some eyebrow raised, and smirks, but then he looked up and caught Oswald’s eye and smiled warmly.  
“And the way you look, tonight~”

Oswald's heart swelled when he saw Edward look at him during the performance. His cheeks were noticeably pink as he looked back down to his employee. His voice was so low and attractive to him~.

Edward continued to sing through the rest of the song with ease, being a bit more expressive with his improvisational skills on the piano. Something he never really did, but tonight. He was letting go, because frankly, he felt like it.  
He concluded the song, and stood up, bowing to the applause, he smirked softly, as he then began to hear the beginning of his song play through the speakers.

The audience clapped loudly and cheered for his unique and charming performance, but all got quiet when the new music came on. Everyone was excited to see his strip, especially the ladies. Oswald sat on the edge of his seat for Ed, ready to absorb his erotic performance with no shame.

The music that was playing tonight, was a slow, wordless instrumental. No song In particular, just something he found that he liked. Something that... spoke to him. He began the dance, with something a bit more...  
burlesque than normal.  
His dances, although very sultry, tonight he thought he would truly feel himself...  
Literally.  
He started by taking his gloved hand and running it up his torso, and under his chin, humming softly as he did so. The previous nights, he was playing up to the audience, not really focusing on himself. But tonight...  
It was all him.  
With one hand under his chin, he swiped it away, letting his head dip down. At this point in the dance, he took a few steps forward, shrugging off his coat, letting the bright emerald green garment drape to the floor with ease.

Oswald observed his little performance, finding it to be interesting, but perhaps not as good as his other strip shows. Hopefully, he could continue and turn things for the better. Meanwhile, the people in the audience were acting very positively.

Edward smirked slightly at the audiences reaction. They weren’t going to be ready for what he was about to do.  
Suddenly, he took his right glove and bit down softly onto it, and he began to pull it off his hand with his teeth. The glove came off in a singular pull, but something followed along suit with it.  
Rose petals made their way out of the glove, fluttering onto Ed’s body, and onto the floor. The dark crimson red looking beautifully sexy with the green the man wore.  
The crowd, not expecting this, began to go wild. Which made Edward bite his lip, containing his excitement as he smirked widely. He licked his lips, and began to then un-loop his belt. The crowd began to go wild at that point, not expecting him to drop trow so soon.  
Here, he had yet another surprise for the audience. When he took the belt off, his black slacks fell right to the ground, revealing him wearing skin tight black booty shorts. These shorts, were more than just a little... revealing when it came to what was down south in both the front, and the back.

At that was when Oswald got his nightly boner. Goddamn, who knew Edward had such an ass! And such a package~.  
The women in the audience were swooning over him, while some men were cheering and already throwing dollar bills toward his feet.

Edward grinned darkly at the reaction he got, he felt completely amplified by what he was doing on stage. The man turned around to walk towards the pole, and promptly slapped his own ass cheek, the effect resulting in a large sound that echoed throughout, even over the music. He turned his head over his shoulder and looked at the audience. He gave out a soft exhale of air when he slapped himself, closing his eyes abruptly. His performance just dripping with sex.

Oswald continued to lean over the edge of his seat, mesmerized by his erotic performance. The boss attempted his hand at rubbing himself off right there in the balcony, but that could be saved for later. During that later point in time, he could have his stripper ass all to himself~.  
The audience was eating up his sexy dance, throwing more money and cheers his way. The Riddler was absolutely beloved by the common patrons.

Edward then spent a little time on the pole, stretching out his legs to show off his ass from different angles, and just overall make him look drop dead gorgeous. All the while, his shirt was coming unbuttoned at the top, showing off his prominent collar bone.  
After a while of dancing, the song was nearing to a close. He spun around a couple more times, then ended his performance by draping himself on the pole. With the final beat of music, he lifted his hat up, and dozens of rose petals fell onto his long, yet curvaceous body. He gave a wink to the audience, and the lights came down instantly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love my baby's writing and creativity for each of ed's performances


	12. Balloon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When you blow me I get bigger, and the tighter you wrap your lips around me the quicker I enlarge. What am I?

The audience cheered for him and tipped him money on the stage. "Give a big applause to all of our performers! All of them will be able to greet everyone in the lobby. Select few are able for a private room."  
Many customers were talking about renting a private room with him. Oswald was nowhere in sight~.  
Once Edward was backstage, he began to clean up as he normally did. He felt extremely happy with how great everything turned out, and couldn’t wait to see what Oswald thought about it. The man put his pants back on, and his green overcoat, then headed promptly to the man’s office, hoping he would find him there.

Oswald's door was closed, but unlocked. When he heard someone enter his office, the man opened his gun drawer, about to take out a pistol before seeing a handsome man poke his head out. He sighed and put it away. "Edward, you need to knock before you come in here.", he sighed, lower body covered under the desk. "My team helped come up with a few more ideas, I hope that you and I can work off of these." Penguin set the file on the desk for Ed to see.

Edward nodded, a raised eyebrow at the gun drawer but shrugged it off. He came towards the desk and sat down across from the man, sliding the file over to him to look at. “Alright.”

"We've added one that doesn't have a set name. Where the performers would wear fancy clothes, like a beautiful dress or a tuxedo.", he mentioned to his friend.

Edward smiled. “Nice. Tasteful and elegant, something that could surely please the right crowd.” As he was reading the rest of the file, he felt a little bit of nervousness crawl into his chest, but he didn’t make it visible.  
“How did you like my performance?”

The man smiled widely. "It was a beautiful act, Edward. Your best performance yet." Oswald reached his hand over to caress his cheek and brush fingers over his brown, gelled locks. He might as well call him 'good boy' and feed him a bone.

Edward looked up, eyes widened slightly, lips parted. He gulped softly, and gave the man a smile in return. “I’m glad you liked it.” He spoke, his voice sweet and filled with contentment.

"Of course I liked it~." He smiled back, taking his hand away as it brushed just under his chin. "Now, to the list. Tell me your ideas and which ones we should ditch.”

“I think all the ones that are in here now are practically perfect.” He gazed at the man’s hand as it drew back from his face, then looked back up at Oswald. He licked his dry lips and felt his face heat up.

"Do you have any suggestions?", he asked, hands under his chin with half-lidded eyes staring back at Ed.

“Make sure you’ve got the right performers doing the right themes, wouldn’t want to give the armatures something too hard to handle~” He replied, his voice deep and smooth.

"And would it fair to label you an amateur~?", he asked with the small tilt of his head. "Prove to me what you can handle~." Oswald slid his seat back, showing off his boner with a wide grin.

Edward smirked, getting up from his seat and leaning over the desk. “Mr. Penguin, with all due respect...” The man spoke, his face only inches away from Oswald’s face. “I’m not an amateur by any means.”

The man smiled back and leaned forward so their noses were touching. "Prove it to me~.", he repeated. "Seeing is believing, after all~."

Edward chuckled deeply, raising an eyebrow at the man. “What do I get in return~?” He purred softly, lips ghosting over the others, and his eyes sparkling with danger and hints of lust.

"I'll give you anything you want~.", he answered boldly. "Now come sit on my lap, Riddler~." Oswald pulled away and laid back in his chair, showing off his boner aching to free itself.

The man smirked softly, a chuckle escaping his lips as he walked around the desk slowly. “Anything~?” He looked down at Oswald’s pants and bit his lip. The man then slowly got on top of his employer, humming softly as he did so. “That’s quite the offer~”

Oswald was quick to reach around and hold Edward's plump behind with a smile. "You deserve it, handsome~." Oswald used his other hand to stroke the underside of Edward's chin with a single finger, very much like a cat.

When Oswald’s finger made contact again with Edward’s chin he tilted his head back, showing off his strong jawline and continuing to hum.

“Are you willing to be my good little helper~?", he asked, whispering into Edward's ear as his hands softly squeezed his ass. "And will you lock the door for me~?"

Edward looked over his shoulder towards the door and smirked before looking back over at Oswald. “You afraid of your lackeys finding out you have the hots for your employee?” He teased, the smirk growing on his lips as he leaned back into Oswald.

Oswald let out a low chuckle, happily leaning his head up to kiss his soft, saturated lips. "It's less that and more I don't want someone to barge in and see you bent over my desk~. That's for my eyes only~." He smiled and leaned down to kiss along his neck. Grabby hands continued to squeeze his behind.

Edward let out a soft groan in surprise, liking how bold the man was being. “You just want me all for yourself, yet I put myself on display for the public every night~” He growled out softly, wrapping his arms around the man’s back, pulling him in closer.

"It does well for my business~.", he excused. "The one thing I will not stand for is nudity or direct contact~. You will save that for me, and me alone~." Oswald thrusted his hips up from underneath Ed. "Understand~?" Oswald may have been whispering, but there was still a loud, dominant presence from his voice.

Edward bit his lip and let out a groan, the friction from the man thirsting up underneath him made his mind go blank for a second. He regained his composure however and leaned into Oswald. “And what if I don’t~?” He growled seductively into the man’s ear, regaining some dominance over the man.

"Mmh~, I'll punish you~." Oswald then gave a sudden smack to the man's behind. "And I won't be gentle~."  
A small moment later, the boss began to slowly undo Edward's belt. "But for now, think of this as a reward~."

Edward looked down, he licked his dry lips then looked back up at Oswald as he took off his belt. “I’m flattered~” He purred out his whole body tingling with anticipation.

The man finally slid his belt out from the loops and watched his pants fall down to his thighs. Oswald whistled, now loosening his tie and unbuttoning his shirt, even pressing kisses to his neck and collarbone as he exposed more skin. "You should know, Ed, that I shouldn't have to do all the work myself~. Why don't you put on a bit of a show for me~?"

The man chuckled deviously as he grabbed Oswald’s tie and pulled him in close, noses touching. “What kind of show would you like~?” He asked slyly, eyes half lidded. “One I would do out on that stage... or~?”  
He pulled on the man’s tie even harder, asserting his dominance a bit aggressively.  
“Perform a special show, just for you?”

Oswald nearly lost his composure, visually admiring the hot mess in front of him. All just for him. "Just for me, of course~.", he finally answered, smile coming back to his lips.

“But you’ve already started to undress me~” He stated as he then began to start and unbutton the rest of his shirt. “I won’t forgive you for doing my job for me.” He growled, a menacing yet lustrous look on his face.

"You don't need a strip to impress me~.", he smiled and slowly pulled his hands away. "You're a talented man~. Show me your tricks~."

Edward hummed softly, he reached up to the bridge of his nose and slid his glasses off, then gently placed them on the desk behind him. Edward smirked softly as he let his loose tie fall off of his shirt and into his lap. He picked it up, and looked into Oswald’s eyes with a serious look now on his face. “Let me see your hands~”

Confused at first, Oswald simply blinked towards him, but he was quick to catch on. A smirk followed his features as he obediently held them out for Ed.

Edward took the man’s arms and put them behind his back, then promptly tied his wrists together, making sure that he couldn’t escape out of the little restraint. “It's no fun if you touch me while I do this~ you’d simply go mad.” He purred out softly, putting a hand underneath the man’s jaw.

Oswald chuckled and made sure to look the other man up and down with his icy eyes. "Oh, I'm sure I have more decency than that~.", he teased.

“Are you sure~?” He teased back, taking his hand back and letting the man’s chin drop.

"Would you like to wait and see?", his employer challenged.

“Perhaps..” The man responded, his eyes narrowed softly, but smirk still painted on his lips.

The man observed him for a long while. When a little too much time passed, he tapped his good foot and looked into Ed's eyes. "Well?", he asked him with a small raise of his eyebrow. His erection was aching already…

Edward looked back at him for a moment then thought to himself for a second. “What’s the rush, Oswald?” He muttered softly under his breath. This had been the first time he used his actual name, since he didn’t want to be unprofessional in the work setting and call him by that. Edward then snaked one hand around the man’s neck, and let his other hand fall into his own lap. “Don’t tell me you’re growing impatient.”

"No, but you promised to put on a show for me~. I feel as thought I should be entitled to something~."

“Mmm?” The man hummed softly as he got off the man’s lap and leaned against the back of the desk. He eyed the man, up and down, smirking. “Is that so~?”

"Heyyy!", the man began to whine as his perfect ass left his lap. "This isn't fair, Ed. You only want to hear me beg."

“Correct.” Edward stated with a snap of his finger as he jumped up onto the desk and looked at Oswald.

The man flinched and leaned his head back to observe his employee. "You better be careful up there.", he scolded like a protective parent.

“You can't tell me what to do.” He spoke simply as he spread his legs open, showing off his erection contained in his shorts.

Oswald's sea blue eyes went straight to ogling at his boner. He bit his red lip and felt the heat slowly come to his cheeks. "You're quite... defined~.", he complimented, still staring at it.

Edward looked over and into Oswald’s eyes, he raised his chin and smirked defiantly. “Oh~?” He asked, then he looked down and blushed a bit, biting his lip absentmindedly. “I guess I am, huh~?”

"Very much so~. I'd love to see you touch yourself with it~." The boss smiled, now dragging his tongue along his bottom lip.

Edward let out a soft yet audible grunt, he looked back up and into Oswald’s eyes. “Beg.”

He scoffed and smirked. "Like hell I will."

Edward shrugged, and crossed his legs over one another. “Fine by me. I just won’t show you anything.” He spoke simply, but then proceeded to smirk and wink at the man.

Oswald scoffed, feeling offended. "You won't be getting your reward!", he threatened.

Edward laughed at that response and purred. “So be it.” He looked at the man, a wicked look in his eye. “I’m relentless, for your information.”

Oswald grunted as he struggled in his chair. "I will not stand for this, Ed! You and I both want this."

“You’re right about that.” He spoke as he got up off the desk and walked forward, so he could stand right above Oswald. He kneeled down, so he was at the man’s level. His eyes made contact with the others and he smirked softly. “But it's no fun, if you don’t beg for what you want~”

"I. Do not. Beg.", he spat out. "I believe you need to put back in your place, Mr. Nygma." Oswald was like an aggravated dog... though possibly more like a bird with his appearance.

“Put back in my place?” He narrowed his eyes, the man then stood back up, and looked down at Oswald. “I think it’s about time you get put into yours.” He spoke honestly as he began to circle the chair, like a predator stalking its prey.

The man paused and began to laugh. "Really? Me? You should be aware of who you're talking to. A part of me feels like you're only being ignorant to piss me off."

“Maybe it turns me on when you’re mad...” Edward muttered under his breath, then stopped behind the man’s chair. He leaned over, resting his chin on the man’s shoulder.

"What was that?", he asked, swiveling his head to try and turn towards his arrogant employee. "Don't hide things from me, Ed. I don't like liars."

“Maybe. It turns me on when I get you mad.” Edward spoke simply into the man’s ear. “Nothing to be hidden...” That last part was a lie, but Oswald didn’t know that.

Oswald coupled feel his ears heat up as his cock twitched beneath his pants. After a bit of silence he spoke again. "I don't enjoy being teased, my friend. I only have so much time here before I must go back to my regular duties.

“Your cock seems to disagree with you...” Edward whispered hotly into the man’s ear. He then hummed softly as he put his arms onto the man’s shoulders and began to massage them like he did the previous night.

Oswald let out a breath with the heat in his ears, but a moan left his lips with a massage. Ed's magic fingers were total bliss~. Other than holding back many of his little moans, his boss leaned his head back, closed his eyes, and chewed on his own lip.

Edward looked contempt with how Oswald looked now, he continued to massage the man. “Are you enjoying yourself~?”

"Yes~.", he breathed and melted against Edward's chest. He felt so at ease. His brain was complete mush.

Edward stopped after a while, running his fingers through Oswald’s hair as he leaned on his chest. “You’re so handsome, Oswald.~”

"Ah..." his eyes fluttered open to look at him messing up his gelled hair. He'd allow it. "Thank you, I'm flattered~.", he replied with a half smile.

The man chuckled softly in return as he can back to the front of the chair. He stood now in front of Oswald and kneeled down onto the floor. He looked up and into the man’s eyes, a dangerous idea lurking in his mind.

His painful, needy erection twitched and throbbed at the sight. What was his little helper doing down there~? Instead of questioning it or making a comment, Penguin reached up with his leg and wrapped both of them behind his back. Now his face was pulled closer and directly beside his poor package.

“You don’t have to say it in anymore..” Edward mumbled as he reached up and unzipped the man’s pants. “Mmm I’ve been waiting way to try and do his~.”

Oswald's leaking cock stood tall from his underwear, pulsating and begging him for more friction.

Edward simply pulled down the man’s pants enough to see the man’s boxers and he licked his lips.

Penguin whined and bucked his hips like he craved touch. "Ed, please~." The heels of his shoes pressed into the other's back, pressuring him to touch his cock.

A groan escaped Edward’s lips at the feeling of Oswald’s heels digging into his back. He then without another moment’s hesitation, pulled down the man’s boxers and watched intently as the man’s cock seemingly sprung from its clothing confinement. “Patience.” Edward warned, his eyes looked up right into his as he let his hand brush ever-so-slightly, down the man’s hardened cock.

"Please~..." His leaking cock twitched and throbbed, making the one and only Oswald Cobblepot whine and beg. His hips involuntarily thrust after he was touched softly. "Please~...", he begged again.

Edward had to bite his tongue, in order to contain his excitement. The desperate pleas of Oswald made him want to do all kinds of things to the man. Without a second thought, Edward leaned his head in a bit more and licked the tip of the man’s cock.

"Oh~!" The man leaned his head back slightly and closed his eyes. His precum tasted salty and thick, resting on his flushed cock. "Do that again~.", he breathed out in pleasure.

Edward felt his own cock twitch at how hot Oswald was being. He licked his lips, then licked the tip once more, this time, slower than before. Meanwhile, with his hands, he reached behind Oswald’s back and began to untie his wrists.

His head leaned further back as he tugged against the restraint. "Oh, Ed~...", he moaned with a smile.  
The moment he was freed out of the tie, his hand reached forward to pet his new lover's hair, fluffing up his brown locks. Edward was almost like an animal, a puppy.

A soft sigh escaped the man’s lips at the feeling of Oswald touching his hair. He didn’t know why he decided to untie him. Perhaps he wanted all things to be fair? Or maybe he just wanted the man to touch him too....  
Edward leaned back in, and began to take the man’s throbbing cock into his mouth with ease, eager to heard Oswald’s moans and cries of pleasure.

"Haahh~..." Oswald gripped Ed's hair a little tighter while his other hand simply gripped the arm of his leather chair. He seemed to like leather. The man was panting softly at this new touch. "C-Christ~... I've never had one of these before~...", the Penguin admitted.

Edwards eyes looked up and into Oswald’s, he winked, then continued to take the man in his mouth, not once daring to break the eye contact he had made.

"Ohh~..." his employer looked down at him and began petting his hair again. He bit his lip as he focused on how good the boy's lips were making him feel.

Once he had all of Oswald inside of his mouth, he began to move his head slowly, going up and down. Meanwhile, Edward moved his hands from behind the man’s back and snaked them slowly up Oswald’s thighs.

"Oh my God~...", he moaned over how quick Edward was to deepthroat his cock. But feeling him start bobbing his head, Oswald screwed his eyes shut and moaned even louder.

At the loudness of Oswald’s moans, Edward pulled his mouth off of him, and panted softly. “The door is still unlocked, you know~” He spoke in a sly undertone as he licked up the man’s cock slowly, looking into his eyes.

Oswald released a shuddered breath before huffing. "Then you better go hide or lock it.", the man ordered.

Edward smirked, he leaned in and kissed the man’s cock. “But I don’t want to move~” He spoke smoothly as he clicked his tongue. “Besides, your legs are still wrapped around me, I wouldn’t be able to move too much even if I wanted.”

"Hiding it is, then." He unwrapped his legs from Ed's body. "Go ahead and get under the desk."

Edward narrowed his eyes, and gave out a sigh. But he did as he was told and slid underneath the desk. He looked over at Oswald with a raised eyebrow and chuckled.

Oswald pulled his chair forward, closing off space for Ed as he put his cock in his face. "Be a good boy for me, will you~?", he asked, reaching down blindly to pet his hair again.

“I’m not a dog.” Edward put simply as he put one of his hands around the man’s cock. “Nor, am I your pet.” He muttered with a chuckle, as he rather roughly, dug his free hand into the man’s thigh and began to deep throat the man’s cock again.

The boss groaned and took his own hand away to relieve his leg of the Riddler's hand. "C-Careful, Ed...", he warned.

Edward mumbled something, but knew it was pointless since his mouth was... full at the moment. The man pulled away, and wiped his lips. “S-Sorry.” He stuttered, his voice deep and gravely.

The man reached down again to pet his hair. "It's alright, Edward. Keep going, please..." his fingers trailed down and caressed his cheek.

Edward took in a breath, then slowly went back down on the man, eyes closing slightly as he relaxed his throat.

Oswald was back to soft moans and petting his hair like a puppy. A few times, his hips thrust into Edward's mouth for more speed and pleasure. Some more precum dripped from his cock and into Ed's throat.

Each time Oswald thrust into his mouth, he would look up and glare at the man through lust-filled eyes. Nevertheless, he got the memo and began to quicken his pace.

Too bad Oswald couldn't see this over the desk~.  
The man's moans became louder and more frequent, and well as his heavy breathing.

With the moans Oswald was giving, Edward wanted to do something that would perhaps set him over the edge. With his already fast pace, he began to hum, sending vibrations through the man’s cock and up his body.

That certainly set his voice a few octaves higher~. Oswald’s torso was bent more forward, implying that he had his chest against the table to steady himself. "D-Dear Lord, you are a treasure~.", he moaned.

Edward continued to hum, and continuously get faster and faster with his motions, getting breathless as he did so.

Oswald's moans were slowly becoming louder and more frequent. "Fuck~, E-Ed, I'm really close~.", he breathed out. "Oh, God~."

At those words, Edward quickened up his pace more, and continued to occasionally hum as he swirled his tongue around the man’s throbbing cock.

"Ahh~!" Oswald thrust his hips deep into Ed's mouth and released a heavy load into his mouth. Meanwhile, the man had to slowly ride his orgasm.

Edward’s eyes shut completely as he felt the man’s orgasm pour down his throat, he made sure that he swallowed it all, then groaned softly as he pulled off the man. His breathing was ragged, and he painted harshly, as he wiped his lips. “C-Christ~”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A balloon.


	13. Playing Hooky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *shark theme from jaws*

The man regained himself a minute after. He tucked his flaccid cock back into his pants and pulled Edward out from under the table to hold him in his lap again. "Sorry I did that. Are you alright?" He placed a gentle hand on the other's cheek.

Edward nodded, still looking a bit out of breath as he coughed a little. He glanced away from Oswald’s eyes and towards the floor. “Yea. I’m fine.” He spoke, his voice very deep.

Oswald turned his chin so they were looking in each others eyes. The man leaned in for a deep kiss. "If you say so..."

Edward hummed in response, looking at the man’s lips. “You’re such an interesting man, Oswald..”

"Am I, now?", he grinned, enjoying having his ego fed. Hot lips touched his sweaty neck next. "I would say the same to you~."

“Oh, would you now?” Edward asked softly, tilting his head to the side so he could expose his neck more to Oswald.

"Most certainly~." He set his teeth against Ed's skin and nibbled down on it. "You're incredibly intelligent, gorgeous, a wonderful body--" his hand reached down to squeeze one of the boy's ass cheeks. "--and yet you walk into my club with no friends, no partner, and willing to pleasure me~."

“Most of those things besides the intelligent part was all look based, never knew you were so vain~” Edward teased with a soft groan, as he wrapped his arms around Oswald. “You should see me at my other job, I’m a completely different person. It would scare you...~”

"Would it? I should drop by some day~." He smiled and kissed his cheek. "And yes, granted, I know you have so many more qualities, but how can I keep my mind straight when I'm looking at you~?"

Edwards cheeks blushed pale pink, as he looked away.  
He hated how that got to him.  
Edward then looked back up, a smile on his lips. Without saying a word, the man leaned in and planted a soft, passionate kiss onto Oswald.

"Mmh~." His employer moaned into the kiss and cupped his ass some more. "I love how shy you get sometimes~.", he managed to add before going right back to passionate kissing.

After a while of kissing the man, Nygma pulled away and let out a sigh. “You get the same way too, sometimes.” He pointed out with a smirk.

"You give me such lovely compliments, how could I not~?", he peeked over Ed's shoulder to look at the clock. "I have to close the club, my friend. Much to my disappointment, our ‘fun time’ is over." He gave Edward a light kiss on the cheek and slowly slid him off of his lap.

“Mmm. Pity...” Edward mumbled as he stood up, and began to button his shirt back up. He then picked his tie up off the floor with ease and began to re-dress himself. “Also, I know this is last minute. But can I have tomorrow off?” He inquired as he grabbed his pants from off the desk and slipped his legs into them. “I haven’t been getting... an adequate amount of sleep and it’s starting to catch up with me. I wouldn’t want to work when I’m not at my 100%.”

"Didn't I give you three days off not too long ago?", he asked while fixing his suit. The man let out a small sigh. "I suppose I can give you a night off, but you owe me something for it. You're lucky I'm so lenient with you."

“Was what I just did not enough?” He asked, tone laced with sarcasm as he put on his belt then grabbed his hat from the desk. “..Come over sometime this weekend. I can cook you dinner.” He offered, his voice now much kinder and relaxed as he placed his hat on his head.

Oswald slid a hand around his waist and pulled him close. "I'm sure I could arrange something on Sunday. Dinner sounds lovely." The bird kissed his cheek and let go to open his office door. "Have a good night, Ed. I'm hoping to see you refreshed by Thursday."

“Goodnight Mr. Penguin.” He spoke simply with a nod of his head as he walked out of the office, and whistled as he walked out of the building, a small smile implanted on his lips.

The man closed the club for the night and watched Edward leave the building from a far. He was really something~.  
The following day, everyone-- including Mr. Cobblepot-- was disappointed when Riddler wasn't there for the show. Thursday, however, the man was in the lobby waiting for him. He hoped for something neutral, like a hug or a handshake. Perhaps Ed would even take him into his dressing room and have them both play around a bit. Oh, the fantasies~

Edward seemed like he had something on his mind that night, even during his performance something seemed off. Perhaps not to the audience, but maybe if Oswald was paying extra close attention he could see it. Edward came out to the lobby and greeted various men and women that came up to him, not noticing that Oswald was amongst the people there.

Oswald couldn't see it quite yet, though he did miss something from his show specifically. It didn't matter at this point. He wanted Edward with him now. The Penguin approached his favourite stripper with a smile. "Glad to see that you're back, old friend.", he greeted him. "Tell me, how did you enjoy your day off?"

Edward blinked when the man asked him that question. He shook his head and his eyes widened. “I beg your pardon?” He asked, confused. He obviously wasn’t listening, but he shook his head once more and gave a half smile. “Oh, yea. Day off. Great. Fantastic.” He spoke simply as he brushed the man off, another patron had come up to him and began to praise his performance.

Oswald definitely noticed something off with him, but he couldn't ask in front of the customer. As always, they asked if he was available for the private rooms and Oswald answered no. Finally, the woman left with a friend of hers and Edward became Oswald's entire focus. "Riddler, you don't seem well. Is everything okay?" His hand itched to hold his, but he knew he couldn't.

“Right as rain.” He spoke simply with a smile, he then furrowed his eyebrows and coughed slightly. “Would it be alright if I leave early tonight? I don’t. Feel so well..” He spoke, an obvious lie as he coughed a little bit more, hoping the man would believe him.

"E--", he cut himself short. "You know you can tell me anything. Something is clearly wrong... Can I do something to help?" His brows were pinched upward, creasing further to create a look of worry.

“Oh no, I’m fine. Well, except for the sick part.” Edward joked, he chuckled softly, but then let out another cough. “must’ve caught it after the show. It’s weird.”

Okay, this was getting annoying. Oswald stamped his good foot. "You are the worst liar I have ever come across!", his employer hissed. "Something's wrong, and I know it. And I also know you aren't sick. Do you need a more quiet place? We can talk in my office."

“I. Am. Fine.” Edward finally snapped, his voice just above a whisper so only Oswald could hear, he glared heavily at the man, standing up straighter so that his figure could loom over his employers. “I am not some weak little boy who needs your help whenever I have a problem, Oswald.” He growled dangerously, but then smiled when he saw one of the patrons walk by.

The man scoffed and furrowed his brows. "Well, you don't have to be so rude about it! I only wanted to help. But, fine. Leave." And with that, the man stomped off and out of the lobby, a few clients whispering softly to each other.

Edward looked around the lobby, some people giving him confused looks. He played it off by shrugging his shoulders and giving a smile. The people smiled back, thinking Oswald was just having a temper-tantrum. Once all the guests were preoccupied, Edward snuck backstage and changed out of his uniform, and put on his regular clothes. With that, he walked out the back door and proceeded to head home.

That's it. Edward wasn't going to get anymore attention from Oswald. Not one bit. He wouldn't even watch his show tomorrow. And no more special privileges for him. And he definitely wasn't going to show up to dinner-- but that would be a 'surprise' for Ed.  
The following day, Oswald was there in the lobby, not specifically ignoring Edward, but focusing on a different person instead. The second best act-- Barbara Queen and Tabby Cat.

Edward was oblivious to Oswald. He seemed so... inside of his head. He of course stayed in the lobby and greeted the guests with a smile, and even flirted a little bit, drumming up the business. When people finally let him be for a moment, he made sure no one saw him, as he snuck out to the back.

Oswald saw him and it ticked him off. Where the hell is he leaving early!? No, no... leave him alone. The little bitch wants to wander off, let him wander off... but call up a lackey to follow him and get information on where he’s going.

Once Edward was changed out, he left through the back door in a hurry, sprinting his way to the center of town. Soon, he saw the GCPD and huffed, as he jogged up the stairs, and unlocked the door, letting himself into the building.

The lackey informed Mr. Cobblepot of where Edward was.  
"The GCPD!? That yellow rat snitch! Keep an eye on him, still. Try to get inside without being spotted."

It was well over after-hours, no one was currently in the main part. Well, except for Edward. He made his way past all of the desks, no hurry at this point. His eyes lit up when he entered the hallway that led to the medical examiners room, and promptly headed there.

"The M.E.? He's a forensic scientist... what would he be doing in there? Stand by and listen."  
Oswald was livid. How dare Ed go and leave for more work at the GCPD. Like he didn't even care about Oswald and his business. Perhaps Edward was just a lost cause.

Edward stepped into the room, took in a deep breath of air and smiled. He was home. Well. Not technically. He turned on the light, and promptly began to put on safety equipment. Once he was done, he went to the center of the room where there was a large metal examining table with a blue sheet thrown over. Seemingly, there was something underneath it. Edward grabbed it, and threw it off, to expose the recent murder victim. The GCPD seemingly couldn’t find any clues to who would’ve done it, but Edward knew they just weren’t looking enough. He grabbed a wire that was a foot above him, attached to the ceiling and pulled it down. It was a microphone.  
“Twenty-two hundred hours. Looking for something that might lead to discovery of whomever committed this.”  
He paused for a moment, then snapped as he smiled.  
“There was bullet particles on the patients lower right abdomen, leading me to suggest someone shot them. But the bullet was seemingly removed. I’m going in to double check and see if I can find anything.”  
He knew he wasn’t supposed to be doing this, but his mind knew he could find something, and he couldn’t sleep knowing that there was something right under anyone’s noses.  
“After this, maybe my head will finally be clear.” He spoke in a less excited/peppy tone, his facial expression now downcast. But he shook it off as he went across the room to grab the tools he needed.

The lackey listened as closely as possible, barely being about to pick up his matter-of-factly examination.  
"So, he's just... doing something to a body? He's just working!? Ugh!" Oswald ordered his spy to just get out and come back to the club. Why did he need to be secretive about this? He could've just said that he needed to do something at work. Edward wasn't grateful, that was it.

Edward tried to get his work done, ultimately he came up empty handed which made him in return feel.  
Empty.  
He groaned, as he sewed up the body quickly, hoping Lee wouldn’t surprisingly come in. She said she was fine with the work he did, but after hours, just digging into a woman’s abdomen off a hunch? That’s crazy. He finished his work quickly and covered the body back up. He looked stressed, frustrated as he left the GCPD, and headed for his house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DUN DUN DUN ANGST!!!!!!!!!


	14. That Offer Of Five Grand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> tantrum!Oswald joins the party

The following day, Oswald was in the lobby before performances began, sitting in one of the chairs and staring at the entrance. When Ed entered, he snapped his fingers at him. "Come here.", he ordered like an angry parent.

Edward looked at Oswald, eyes dark. But he nodded. He then walked over to his boss, and looked down at him. “Yes sir?” He asked.

"Don't give me that fake crap.", he spat, clearly fuming about something. "Tell me where the hell you were last night, because I did not give you permission to skip work early." He stood up, getting in Edward's face. "I'm very close to cutting your salary in half from how much work you've missed. And I'm even closer from replacing you as the maid."

Edward frowned. He pushed up his glasses and crossed his arms. “Are you sure you want to talk about this here? When patrons could walk in at any moment?” He asked. A slight anger in his tone as he was trying to stay calm and civil.

"Fine then." He gripped his arm tight and dragged him to his office. When the door was finally shut, he got right in his face again. "Tell me where you were!", Oswald growled.

“GCPD. Medical Examiners room. Then home.” He spoke simply, blinking a few times fast after saying it. “Is that all you wanted?” He asked as he went to open the door.

The man ripped his hand off of the handle. "And the night before? When you actively lied to me and pretended you were sick?"

“Same place.” He spoke simply, looking at the door handle then back up at Oswald’s face. “But I didn’t go straight home, I slept in the office.”

"And why did you lie to me? And what the hell were you doing there?" He pushed Edward in the chest so he was cornered against the wall.

“I would rather spare you the details.” He spoke dryly as he looked away from Oswald, not wanting to look back at the man’s face.

"Hey!" Oswald gripped his face hard and forced him to look back. "Why did you lie to me?!"

“Because you wouldn’t have let me go if I told you I needed to do something at the GCPD.” He spat, letting his anger now get the best of him. “You would’ve spun it around and made it about yourself.”

Oswald lost his temper, and squeezed his jaw harder. "Maybe if you told me what you were going to do, I wouldn't be acting like this! It's much better to tell me the truth in the first place than sneak around behind my back like a little bitch! Tell me why you went there!"

Edward growled audibly when he heard the words, ‘little bitch.’ Come out of Oswald’s mouth. He used his strength to push him off of him, and distance himself. “That’s none of your concern, Oswald.” He spat venomously, anger replacing the blood in his veins.

"None of my concern!?", he shouted and came right back up in his face. "You can't say that and not expect me to think you're betraying me!"

Edward chuckled darkly, stepping forward dangerously towards the man. “Betraying you?” He asked, a wicked sarcastic smile on his face. “My God! Could you get anymore self centered?” He shouted as he stopped right in front of the man. “You really want to know soooo badly what I did? Well, fine!” His voice boomed throughout the room, and he bit his tongue harshly before opening his mouth to speak again. “I haven’t. Been able to think clearly. I think it might be due to stress, or my lack of sleep, or not taking proper care of myself, but that’s beside the point.” He spoke firmly as he pushed up his glasses. “I was at the GCPD, cutting into a corpse and digging through their abdomen to look for something. Something! Because everyone is being idiots, and missing what’s in front of them.” Edward forcefully grabbed the man’s chin, like Oswald had done to him earlier. “So no. I wasn’t betraying you. Come to think of it, if I was caught, I could’ve been fired. So I was the one betraying myself.”

Oswald slapped his hand away, taking it off his chin. "That was all you needed to say!", the man growled. "I don't care what you do or what you need, just as long as you aren't hiding it from me! If you need more sleep, I'll let you go home early! If you need to break into the GCPD and work, I could very easily hire some of my men to help you without flaw. Honesty, that was all I needed." He huffed and stepped away from Ed.

“I don’t like having to tell someone where I’m going to be 24/7.” He spoke seriously as he looked at the floor. “I’m not a little bitch who needs help, who needs to be looked after. I can handle myself fine.” He spoke as he looked up at Oswald. “I know how to take care of myself. I don’t need your help.”

"Well, you kind of do need to tell me if you're skipping work. If you don't want to anger me. If you don't want to lose my trust." His hand slowly reached out to touch his shoulder. "You don't always have to take my help, but it's here with me if you need it."

Edward flinched at the touch, and turned his head away, eyebrows furrowed. At that moment he heard a familiar chuckle in his ears, and his muscles stiffened visibly.  
‘Hey Eddie! Miss me?’  
He glanced over to see his doppelgänger standing over Oswald’s shoulder, Edwards gave grimaced look towards his other half.

 

Oswald sighed seeing Edward still angry. "I'll apologize. I should've been more reasonable when confronting you." He slowly took his hand away. "You said you wanted to clear your head? Do you want to... talk to me about that?" He would've offered help, but Edward said he didn't want it. Maybe support was the next best thing.

Edwards eyes widened, he took a step back, and stumbled over himself accidentally. He ended up crashing to the floor, landing right on his butt.  
‘I’d love to talk to him about my problems~’  
“No one asked you...” He muttered underneath his breath, then shut up and shook his head. “it’s nothing, Oswald.”

Oswald gasped and bent down on the floor, hurting his bad knee as he hesitated to touch him or help him up. When he was denied the chance to support him as well, his face fell. "Edward..."

‘You wouldn’t want him to find out about... your little.. secret. Would you?’ The other one spoke, referring to himself with a devious chuckle.  
Edward gulped softly, and looked away from him and to Oswald. He saw that the man was kneeling on his bad knee. “H-Hey! Don’t do that, you’re going to hurt yourself.” He spoke, as he quickly got up, then extended his hand towards Oswald. Urging him to take it.

Oswald saw this as deflecting the conversation, and so he looked away. The man picked up his cane from the floor to help himself up. "The performances are going to start soon. I think you should go get changed.", he told his employee with his eyes downcast.

Edward looked at Oswald, a sad look in his eyes as he brought his hand back to his side. He let out a shaky breath, and clenched his fists. “I-I-I...” He cut himself off, his mind blanking on what to say.

"Listen, Ed, I don't want to have to keep you up here any longer." He approached the door and opened it. "Forget the conversation."

Edward didn’t move. He stood there. He looked. Confused. Hurt. Still somewhat angry. He let out a shaky breath, then looked up at Oswald with a sad smile. “Forget it?”

"Please just go. I don't want to make tensions any worse in between us.", he explained, still avoiding eye contact with Ed.

Edward nodded slowly, then began to walk to the door. “I’m sorry. You just. Wouldn’t understand.” He spoke softly, voice cracking as he left the office and headed down the hall to his dressing room.

Oswald sighed. Perhaps he should learn to work on his temper. Maybe have Zsasz keep him in check.  
When performances began, Oswald was nervous about Ed. He wanted to have, at least, a couple men by the scene in case anything goes wrong. Zsasz was behind him on the balcony.

Edward sat backstage. Full costume, but something just looked off. He was thinking to himself, thinking long and hard about what he should do. He had a rash decision in mind, but didn’t know if he was going to follow through with it.

One of Penguin's hired lackeys came up from behind him right before his act was supposed to come on. "Hey, buddy." He approached the lanky man. "You a’right?"

“Never better.” He spoke calmly as he gave the lackey a side smile. “Ready to get this over with...” He spoke honestly as he looked back out straight.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, our final act! The Riddler!"  
The men and women in the club clapped and cheered for his presence. "Go on, kid.", the lackey encouraged. "Do good."

With a good second, the real star of the show was now out. The one, the only! Riddler~ The man came out, carried himself highly, and bowed to the crowd.  
With that, he played the piano as he normally did, and then followed it up with a usual not-for-the-faint-of-heart striptease. Once he was done, he gave his final bow to the audience and watched as the curtain closed.

Oswald sighed, relieved as he watched his main star perform successfully. Good for Ed. The man stood up to clap after he was finished and walked down to the lobby to speak with the other guests. One client approached Oswald personally, wearing a wide-set suit and smoking an expensive cigar. "Riddler. I want him for a private room.", he said upfront to the owner.  
"Sir, as I've said many times, The Riddler is not available for a private--"  
"I'll pay two grand."  
"He... He hasn't signed the contract--"  
"Three grand."  
"It's his choice--"  
"Five grand for Riddler."  
Oswald gulped. "I'll... go find him...."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> minor tw for the next part! I don't wanna spoil it, but I will be adding tags and such before the 15th chapter is posted. also, the entire pic is finished bts. There will be 28 official chapters. I'm working of part two:my darling right now


	15. Moretti's Dancer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> minor tw: Edward complies even though he doesn't wanna do it

Edward was now backstage, cleaning himself up, taking more time then he usually did. He was combing through his hair to get the gel out, because he planned to restyle it before he went out to the lounge. He hummed to himself softly as he did so, trying to just have a moment to himself so he could try and think straight.  
‘You never thanked me for the great performance I gave for you tonight.’  
“The audience thanked you enough. You don’t need to hear it from me.” He replied bluntly as he blocked out the rest of what the man said, until he finally went away. For the time being...

Oswald knocked on the man's door with Zsasz right behind him. "Ed? Ed, I have a proposition for you. It's a lot of money for the both of us."

“Come in.” Edward shouted, he had finished his hair and put his hat on, but he still stood in front of the mirror.

Oswald entered with the other man right behind him. "There's someone outside who wants you for a private room. He wants to pay $5000. Taking away my cut--30%-- that's $3500 for you." He smiled wide and stood straight. "Are you willing to do this as a one-time event?"

“Hmm. Let me think.” He spoke as he turned around and looked at Oswald. “Fuck someone for 3,500 dollars? No. Thank. You.” He spoke simply, he then took a glance at Zsasz then back at Oswald. “I’m not really into that sort of thing. My apologies.”

Oswald's smile dropped. "A-Are you sure? Think about it, it's A LOT of money. More than anyone here would pay for. I could take less percentage if that makes it better."

“I’ll pass.” He spoke bluntly. Edward narrowed his eyes. Sure, it was a lot of money. But, he didn’t even know who the person was that wanted a private room with him.. he could do it to spite Oswald though... “Who is the individual who’s willing to pay 5 grand?”

"Ah--well...", he turned to Zsasz.  
"Alfonso Moretti. Works closely under Sal Maroni. Dunno why he wants you so bad, but he kept jacking up the price.", Zsasz explained.  
"Do you think he'll raise it higher?", Penguin asked with a smile.

“If you can raise it to ten thousand, you’ve got a deal.” He spoke with a wave of his hand as he looked down at Oswald, then looked away from him quickly.

Oswald hurriedly rushed out with the bald man and approached Moretti.  
"Riddler says he'll do it for ten grand.", the dark-haired man said with a bat of his eyelashes.  
"That's too much."  
"He says he'll only do it for ten grand. How about this--you can have him until closing, and you can do whatever you want to him as long as you don't break skin."  
"...Fine, deal."  
"Wonderful! I'll go get him."  
Oswald walked back to the dressing room. "He agreed on ten grand. You have until I close the club and he is allowed to do anything he wishes. Zsasz, get the contract for private rooms."  
"On it." He quickly walked out.

“Woah woah woah.” Edward spoke as he approached Oswald, his heart starting to hammer. “He’s allowed to do.. anything he wants to me?” He shuddered for a moment thinking about it. He narrowed his eyes to the floor then shook his head and looked back at Oswald. “Doesn’t that.. bother you?” He asked point blank, eyebrows knit together in worry and hints of other emotions.  
‘Ed, if you’re so scared, I can do all the work.’  
Edward felt the other man’s eyes and let out a soft sigh.

"Why would it bother me? My other clients do the same thing.", he said, brushing it off. "Look, friend, if anything really bad happens, you can always press the red button. You've done this sort of thing before, haven't you?"  
Zsasz came back in and handed Oswald the file.

“Y-Yea. Of course.” He stuttered out. He was lying though. He had never done anything like this before. And he was terrified.  
‘All you have to do, is say the word~’  
Edward looked at the file that Zsasz handed to Oswald, and bit his tongue. “What kind of employee would I be if I couldn’t do this simple task?”

"There you go.", Oswald encouraged as he gave Edward the file. "The two most important rules are, make sure he's wearing a condom at all times, and the customer is always right. Appeal to his kinks and whatnot. You'll do great." Oswald left him to read through the entire contract without needing to sign it as he directed Alfonso to a private room.

Edward didn’t even have to read the contract. He already knew what was going to be inside of it, he was smart like that. Without hesitation, he signed below it. While waiting for Oswald to get back, he looked at Zsasz then turned away, going towards the mirror.  
“Do it...” He whispered softly to himself, his alter ego now standing in front of him with a smirk.  
‘It would be my pleasure.’

Oswald came back in and looked at the contract with wide eyes. "E-Ed, you're not supposed to sign it unless you agree to be available all the time." He took the papers away and had Zsasz take it under his arm. "Are you ready?"

The man spun around on his heels and hummed softly in response. A smirk on his face as he walked out of the dressing room before the two. While walking he began to whistle to himself, hands in his back pockets.  
“Let’s get this over with.”  
He shouted simply down the hall, a cocky look adorning his face.

Inside the private room was a hefty-looking man. Definitely Italian with a clean-shaven face and all-teeth smile. "Well, well~. You cost me a pretty penny, Mr. Riddler~." Alfonso chuckled heartily and adjusted himself on the loveseat. "Why don't you get on that pole and do a little dance for me~?"

The man eyed the other up and down as he walked slowly over towards the pole, a smirk on his face as he did so.  
“I’m not a cheap man by any means, Mr. Moretti.”  
The man threw his hat over and onto the man’s lap, just as he stepped up to the pole.  
“You’re the first one to even get me into a private room, so you should consider yourself lucky.”

Alfonso chuckled and laid back in the seat. "Penguin said something like that~. That you haven't even signed up for a private room~. It's such a shame, you'd be making mad cash~." His fingers traveled over the fabric of his bowler hat.

“I’m not in it for the cash.” He responded simply, as he wrapped himself around the pole and let out a breathy sigh. “It would be boring if that was why I do what I do here, I’d be like everyone else.” The man began to grind on the pole, while still looking over at Alfonso.  
“That same shtick over time grows... tiresome, would you agree?” The man purred out, his smirk defiant over his face.

Alfonso leaned forward and observed him with a hum of approval. "Hm~. Alright then, tell me why you're here, then~."

The man stopped his actions on the pole for a moment and chuckled softly. “I’m exploring a.. darker side of myself.” He spoke as he licked his lips. He thought back to some of the moments he had with Oswald and bit his tongue. “I have done some things, I would’ve never imagined doing..”

Alfonso smiled widely. "Well, don't let me stop you~. Go ahead and explore~."

“I have a question for you...” He began as he walked over towards him. “How come you wanted a room with me, and not one of the pretty little ladies that performed on stage tonight?” He inquired as he stood over his frame eyelashes fluttering as he waited for an answer.

He hummed a laugh. "For one, I don't like pretty little ladies, and two--", he leaned forward so he was closer to Riddler. "I love your style~. Why don't you sing for me, pretty boy~?"

“What would you like to hear?” He asked as he leaned down and got closer to the man, he hummed softly as he did so. “I’ll sing whatever you yearn for~”

"Sing 'Till There Was You' by Etta Jones~. It’s my favourite. You know that one, don't you~?" Alfonso slowly reached for the green man's covered thigh with his meaty hand.

“Of course I do, darling~” A grin appeared on his face as he hummed a few notes.  
“There were bells on a hill, but I never heard them ringing~” He sang out softly, his voice deep and lustrous as he swayed his hips lightly.  
“No, I never heard them at all, till there was you~”

"You have such a beautiful voice." He complimented him, pulling him closer and onto his fat lap by Ed's hip. He slowly and subtly began to grind upwards.

A groan came from the back of the man’s throat, as he started humming some of the song. He wrapped his arms around the man’s back, and looked deeply in his eyes. Each hum getting more sensual and drawn out then the last.

His hand reached around, now touching his ass. "Perfect~." Moretti began to rub and squeeze the underside of it. "How long do we have until closing time~?", he asked.

Mmmm, I don’t really remember~” He mumbled softly, his lips parting absent-mindedly as he tried to remember. “Anywhere between fifteen to forty minutes perhaps?”

"Damn, that's not a lot of time~." He picked Edward up and off of him. "Go ahead and strip for me, I'll take care of everything else~." It seemed like he had experience with places like this, as he reached into the bedside drawer and pulled out a bottle of lube and a condom. "Did you prepare yourself for me, or am I gonna have to work you up~?"

“You’re going to have to work me up, Mr. Moretti, I didn’t even think I’d be doing this tonight.” Even though the other was in control, he felt a bubble of anxiousness begin to sprout in his chest.. if anything happened though, there was that button... if only he remembered where it was.  
Riddler let his overcoat fall to the floor, then began unbuttoning his white dress shirt, his large collar bone being the first thing unveiled as he slowly undid the buttons.

The larger man smiled and was quick to unzip his pants. A bulge was already beginning to form underneath his underwear.

Finally, his shirt was finally all undone, and he threw it off his body with grace, exposing his bare chest to the man. He then bit his lip as he look down as his own pants, then back up at Alfonso as he slowly unbuckled his pants. He made sure to make all of his movements sensual, and smooth with intention, making sure that he would just eat him up with his eyes~.

Alfonso licked his lips just looking at him. His erection became much harder as well. "Like I said, perfect~.", he grinned widely.

The man thought back to the time when Oswald said those similar words to him. He blushed softly, not even noticing it as he bit his lip, and slid the belt out of the last loop.  
“You’re too kind to me, really~” He teased as his pants then slowly fell to the ground, leaving the man in nothing now, but his black briefs.

His client patted his lap. "Come sit, I'll work you up real good~." The man applied a bit of lubricant on his fingers.

The Riddler nodded, he walked back over and sat slowly onto the man’s lap like he had done earlier. He hummed softly like he did earlier, the anxious bubble in his stomach growing bigger and bigger at this point.

The man looked into his eyes while one of his hands slowly lowered the hem of his boxers. Moretti slipped his lubed hand near his backside and rubbed Ed's tight asshole with cold lube. Shortly after, the man slipped the tip of one of his fingers inside of him. "How's that feel, gorgeous~?"

The man’s face contorted into an expression of surprise, as he let out a shaky breath, he kept his eyes on Moretti’s, not daring to break the contact.  
“It feels interesting~” He purred out sarcastically with a wink, as he slowly moved his hand towards the underside of the seat to try and find the button before it was too late.

"Sensitive~." He slid his finger in deeper. "I like it~." Soon enough, Moretti was gently thrusting his finger in and out of Ed's hole. Then he slowly added another, but kept thrusting.

The man felt his body start to shake slightly, his stomach didn’t feel all too anxious anymore. He started to feel...  
Intoxicated. He let out a hearty sigh, as he briefly forgot about what he was going to do, and let his hand rest underneath the arm of the seat.

"Like that~?", he asked, quickening his pace a little. They didn't have a lot of time to fuck and do other stuff. Finally, after he felt the boy was stretched enough, Alfonso pulled off his boxers completely and set his own little naked toy on the heart-shaped bed. Riddler was on his stomach, ass perking up that look so desperate for a smack. Once the condom was over his exposed cock, he gave a firm spank to Ed's cheeks and slowly lined himself up with the tight little hole. He was average sized, even despite his weight, so it wouldn't be too much of a stretch when his tip slipped inside.

The man grabbed the sheets of the bed with his fists, closing his eyes and preparing himself. Though a big part of him didn’t want this, there was another part of him that succumb to the little game, he didn’t know how to feel about that. When he felt the tip slip inside, he bit down on his lip to avoid from any sound coming out.

The large man's stomach pressed against Edward's back as he slowly slipped inside with a moan. "Fuck, you're so tight~." In just a few moments time, the man was pounding harshly into The Riddler's tight ass with heavy breaths and curses. Skin slapping against skin filled the private room with it. During his thrusts, his hands pinned the stripper down with a bruising grip. As Alfonso hit and damaged his plaything’s backside, he had ordered the younger man to start calling him “Daddy”, to which Edward complied.  
Near Moretti's completion, which was about 8 minutes later, he gripped tightly to Edward's hips and squeezed. His own thrusts increased at a much quicker rate before cumming inside the condom. While riding his orgasm, he still slowly thrusted inside of Ed until he finally cleared his head. Alfonso pulled out, holding onto the edge of the condom so it could come with him, have itself tied, and get thrown into the trash. He sat down on the bed, cock tucked away, and panting slightly. "You were a damn good fuck~.", he smiled.

The man laid there, panting softly, forehead beaded with sweat as he let out a soft chuckle in response to what the man said. He didn’t say anything but just slowly sat up and wiped the sweat from his forehead, and tried to calm his breathing down. He looked up at the man and winked before standing up and moving past him to get his clothes. He quickly re-dressed in what seemed like seconds. Instead of naked and bare for the world, he looked like the strapping young man you wouldn’t expect to be a burlesque dancer.  
“Pleasure doing business with you~”  
Though I hope I never have to see you again...  
He waved to the man and blew him a kiss as he left the room and shut the door behind him.

Oswald was approaching the door already before he saw Edward and smiled softly. "Hey--", he was hoping to catch the sweaty man's attention. "I was just about the say your time was up. How did it go?", he asked.

Edward took a sharp inhale through his nose, and looked at Oswald. A small smile on his face as he took his hat off of his head and placed it onto Oswald’s head. He then took the man’s chin in his hand and planted a soft kiss onto his cheek.  
“I quit.”

https://krandomroleplayer.tumblr.com/post/185605147380/new-chapter-is-up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the link leads to some art I made for this chapter


	16. Sleep With Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> its more soft now, I promise

Oswald stared up at him in disbelief, mouth open and dry. He couldn't speak for a moment, just looking up at Edward and trying so hard not to let his emotions get the better of him.  
"Wh-What?", he finally asked, brow creasing upwards in distraught.

Edward frowned at the man’s response as he brought his hand back to his side. “You heard me, don’t make me say it again.” He spoke with a dull tone as he looked back at the private room door and cringed slightly.  
“But hey! On the bright side, you get to have the 10 grand, all to yourself.”  
He spoke with some hints of malice in his voice, but he kept a smile as he ruffled the man’s hair.

Oswald flinched softly. "You... You can't..." he reached out to touch his hand. "You can't quit. I--" No, he couldn't say he desperately wanted him to stay, that would sound too needy. "I thought you liked it here. The people love you, you're amazing. You belong here."

“I belong here?” The man asked like the idea was absurd. “Let’s go through the list, hm? 1.) I have a very toxic relationship with my boss. 2.) My first time was with some guy in a private room. 3.) All people want to do here is fuck me. 4.) No one knows my true identity, so I’m living a false life.”  
He took a step back and looked rather rattled as a tear fell down his face, no longer keeping up the strong facade.  
“Is that really where someone should belong, Oswald?” He spoke with hurt and anger lacing his voice.

Oswald's mouth hung open. "That was your first time!?", he asked in a whisper. "You told me you did this kind of stuff before, I thought you were used to it." Hands reached out to hold Edward's hands. "Ed, I'm so sorry..." he reached up to wiped away the tear.

Edward held a hand up and felt his legs start to shake. “You said I was a terrible liar, yet you couldn’t even decipher that one. Little. Lie.” He shook his head and bit his tongue.  
“The poor have me, the rich need me, and if you eat me, you’ll die. What am I?” He asked softly, his voice just above a whisper, as he looked into Oswald’s eyes.

He looked up, confused. He genuinely didn't know the answer. But he knew, the boy needed comfort of any kind. Poor thing just had first-time sex with a total stranger.  
Oswald slowly pulled the shivering boy into a tight hug as he thought about the riddle. Why would Edward ask a riddle of himself?  
"...You are not nothing, Ed...", he finally answered when a good amount of time passed. His hands softly rubbed his upper back. "You are a wonderful man and personality. You're the most intelligent, the most unique, and the most enjoyable person I have ever had in my life… I should have never taken you for granted… I'm sorry for treating you this way..."

 

Edward wrapped his arms around Oswald and pulled him in tighter. He rested his head on the man’s shoulder and said nothing, he thought his action spoke louder than his words ever could.  
“I just. I need...” He began, but stopped himself and just dug his face deeper into the man’s shoulder.  
“I feel. Outside of this environment, you would never associate with someone like me. And you can deny that. Because, you don’t know who I am outside of here...” He spoke as he shook still, his eyes watering. He was scared. Confused. Hurt. Lost. He just wanted to hold Oswald and make it all go away.

Oswald kept him close to his shorter body for a while in the hallway. "Doesn't that make you glad that we met?", he asked. "Beside all of my tantrums and unwarranted rage against you... My sweet Edward..." he kissed his shoulder and held him even closer. "How I've treated you terribly... I will do all I can to comfort you, I promise."

Edward sniffled softly, hugging onto the shorter man for dear life. “Can you come home with me?” He asked like a little child, as he still held on and shook softly. “Please?”

"Of course. Of course I will... Do you need to get your stuff?" The boss pulled away slightly to look into his eyes as he rubbed the poor boy's back.

Edward shook his head. He didn’t want to have to go all the way back there and grab his clothes. He could just get them another time. Without warning, Ed grabbed Oswald’s hand and began to lead him to the back exit, the way he usually took when he was walking home. “I have a spare pair of glasses at home, and as for the rest of my stuff I’ll just get it some other time...” He opened the backdoor and began to walk with Oswald to his house.

Damn it, he was missing his cane. Oh well, he had Ed to hold onto. The man made sure to put his arm around Ed and carefully walk him the whole way there.

The entire walk there, Edward held onto Oswald tightly so he could be supported: in more ways than one. Once they finally reached his apartment, he slid open the heavy metal door to reveal his cozy little home. It was already luminated on the inside, since he had forgotten to turn off the living room light. There was also a large green sign outside that flowed into the apartment, giving it a nice hue of color. Edward sighed softly as he walked in, making sure Oswald was okay before setting him down gently on the bed.  
“This is my house.” He spoke softly, his eyes looked less sad and more comfortable now.  
Looking around the house, it would be everything you’d expect a man such as Edward Nygma to have: nice furniture, clean home, nice homey atmosphere, and plenty of space where there wasn’t a jumble of his things..

Oswald smiled at the sight. "It's very cozy. It reminds me of my mother's old flat, but larger. He walked in and closed the door behind him. "Do you want to change and sit down?"

“Yea. I think I might also take a shower... wash away all the sin.” He half joked with a smile as he grabbed some pajamas from his nightstand and headed towards the bathroom. “You’re welcome to make yourself at home, if you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.” With those words, he walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind him.

Oswald looked around the room to see what he might keep himself busy with. He decided on making himself a little snack. Normally, a maid would make something for him, but that wasn't available now. He opened up the fridge to see what he could make for himself....  
A spicy mustard sandwich sounds good enough.

Edward took his time with his shower, making sure he thoroughly cleaned himself. Once he was done, he got all dried up and put on the night clothes he brought with him. The man then walked out, hair damp and somewhat in his face, he saw Oswald in the kitchen making some food and smiled to himself. “Whatcha making?”

"Just a snack for myself." He said, putting down the butter knife he used to smear a fuck-ton of spicy mustard. Oswald folded his single slice of bread in half, making it a sandwich, and bit down on his unholy snack. How the hell could someone so posh and elegant have this kind of taste!?

Edward let out a chuckle, as his lips turned upward into s big dorky grin. “You continue to surprise me everyday.” He spoke with a shake of his head, as he made his way over towards his bed. “Even I wouldn’t eat that!” He exclaimed with a bigger laugh as he sat down on the bed.

Oswald hummed, trying to speak, so he quickly chewed and swallowed his snack. "To each their own tastes.", he commented before snarfing it down quickly. He used a napkin to wipe his lips and then walked over to sit by Edward on the bed. "Do you feel better?", he asked, slowly taking his hand and rubbing the back of his palm.

“I feel a little bit better..” He mumbled out, the grin fading away from his face as he brushed his hair back with his free hand so that there were no stray strands in his face. “Thank you, Oswald.” He abruptly spoke, looking up and into the man’s eyes. “For everything.”

He smiled and leaned forward to hug him. "You're welcome, friend." His hands rubbed Edward's back and held him closer.

Edward closed his eyes and smiled once the man embraced him, he felt safe and comforted which is something he never normally felt.

"Do you want to go to bed?", he asked. "Or would you rather stay up with me?"

“I want to stay up with you, of course.” The words naturally flew out of his mouth as he wrapped his own arms around the man’s back and pulled him in closer.

Oswald let out a surprised noise, but he was quick to keep holding his employee. "Okay, we can do that..." His hand squeezed the fabric of his shirt.

Edward hummed softly, and felt his body get all warm and tingly. Then he slowly pulled away from the hug and smiled at the man in contempt.

"Is there something you'd like to do in particular?", he asked softly, holding Ed's hand and rubbing his shoulder.

“I... I don’t really know.” He spoke honestly as he leaned into the man’s touch. “Do you have any ideas?”

"We could hug on the bed. You could confide in me.", he offered. "Anything you think will make you feel better, my friend."

Edward felt a wave wash over his body. He didn’t know exactly what it was, but it made him feel nice.  
He looked into Oswald’s eyes and seemingly got lost in them.  
“Oswald... I want you to know. That I would do anything for you.”

He looked back into Ed's with astonishment. Anything? Where did this come from? The dark haired man in front of him gently squeezed his hand with the same, never diverging look.

Edwards cheeks became pink, but he didn’t look away from the man once. He didn’t know where that sentence came from, but he knew he meant it when he said it.

Slowly but surely, Oswald moved closer to the other and cupped his wet cheek. Penguin gave Edward a soft, gentle kiss on the lips while also developing it into a hug.

Edward wrapped his arms around the man’s back and pulled him in closer, still looking into Oswald’s eyes as he then returned the gentle kiss to the man.

He gave his brunette darling that long kiss and then another. And another. And a few more, all on his lips, all gentle. His hand slipped up to hold the back of Ed's head for a more deepened and pleasurable kiss.

Gladly, Edward returned the favor by kissing Oswald back. His eyes fluttered to a close as he felt the other man’s hand slip to the back of his head. Edward brought his own hands that were wrapped behind Oswald, and slowly dragged them under his shirt and up the man’s back.

Oswald shuddered and let out a little gasped breath. He gripped the collar of Ed's shirt and pulled him so close their thighs were pressed up against one another.

Edward groaned softly, continuing to let his hands travel up the man’s back, feeling every bit of Oswald’s skin. He felt his body shake with anticipation when the other man pulled him in closer.

Soon enough, the boss had his little star underneath him, kissing his beautiful lips and rubbing every inch of his soft skin. "You're so smart and gorgeous~.", he praised him. "My lovely little scientist~." Oswald pressed a kiss to his forehead and temple.

Edward had his eyes closed, lips slightly parted, and a body that felt like it was on fire from what Oswald was doing to him. With each word praise, he felt himself get hotter and hotter. Sometimes he would open his eyes and watch the man with a look of awe. Oswald was intoxicating to him.

"Tell me a riddle~.", he whispered, pressing his chest down against his favourite little stripper. "I know you have one in that big, brilliant brain of yours~."

“I can’t be bought, but I can be stolen with a glance..” He began as he opened his eyes and looked up into Oswald’s. “I’m worthless to one..” He reached his hand up and brushed the underside of the man’s chin.  
“But priceless to two. What am I?”

Oswald smiled and took Edward's soft hand into his own, using his lips to kiss his lively fingers. "I don't know that one.", he admitted.

“Love.” He spoke, his tone deep as he kept his eyes fixated on Oswald, feeling warmth radiate throughout his body as the smaller man kissed his fingers.

The other smiled, clearly not seeing the importance. "That's sweet~." He leaned down and began to kiss his neck. "Should I tell one to you, one day~?"

“Why don’t you tell me one now? You can try and outsmart me~” He chuckled softly as he ran a hand through the man’s dark soft locks of hair.

He hummed and fixed where he put his weight so he wouldn't be leaning on his right side as much. "I don't have a riddle on my mind.", he whispered. "But I'll get my own book of them if I have to~."

Edward chuckled warmly in response, a smile spreading its way across his face as he ruffled the man’s hair. “Lovely.” He then noticed the weight shift Oswald made and looked up into his eyes. “Is your leg bothering you?”

"Just a little. It's hard to be on top when you have to stay on your knees.", he chuckled.

Edward looked over at the man’s leg, then back up at him with a smirk on his face now. “I can be on top.” He suggested with a chuckle.

He leaned down and pressed his beak-like nose against his cheek. "I would appreciate that.", Oswald whispered and turned over with a sigh.

Edward hummed softly, as he then carefully got on top of Oswald, making sure not to accidentally step on his leg. Once he was fully on top of him, he looked down at the man and smiled. “Why’re you so beautiful?”

"Me?" He chuckled. "You're misinformed. I am not the beautiful one~." He leaned up to kiss him.

“I’m not.” He spoke as he leaned down, his nose against Oswalds. “Have you not seen yourself?” He asked with a smile. “You’re absolutely, stunning~”

"Listen, I may be handsome and clever, but you're gorgeous and intelligent~. My lovely, shining star~."

“You’re flattery makes me swoon, Oswald.” He spoke with a smirk as he pressed his lips against the others.

The other man hummed and leaned up into his lips. "So, how are you feeling now?"

“Lovely, since you’re here.” The words just simply fell out of his mouth, but then he blushed and bit his tongue. “I mean- yea. I feel. Better.”

His boss let out a light chuckle. "Does that mean you're comfortable enough to rest with me?", Oswald asked.

“Only if it’s with you~” He purred, his cheeks still red, but a grin adorning his face.

The older man's cheeks tinged red as he smiled. "Let me get comfortable and we can both rest together, alright?" He stood up from bed and removed his coat, revealing a lovely vest and a white collared shirt. He unknotted his lovely tie and set it aside with his coat as well as his shiny shoes before coming back to Ed's bed and warming himself up beneath the neat covers.

Edward watched the man remove his coat and smiled to himself. He wore such beautiful clothes, and was already such a beautiful man. Hell, he could be a burlesque dancer if it wasn’t for his injury. Edward laid down underneath his covers, and once Oswald entered the bed, he snuggled up next to the man.

Oswald held him back. Being warm and secure like this felt lovely. Even with the odd neon light against all the darkness and the sounds of cars driving by.

Edward rested his chin on the man’s head, sleep beginning to take him. “I wish you could stay with me like this...” He muttered out before soon after falling into a deep slumber.

"I'll stay for as long as you want.", he promised before closing his eyes and falling asleep as well.


	17. The Investigation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim and Harvey found out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> extra long chapter for y'all

The following morning, Oswald was off to a groggy start. He normally didn't wake up early.

Meanwhile, Edward was still fast asleep, snoring softly to the sounds of morning traffic going by.

Penguin looked at the other man in bed and smiled. With a kiss to the forehead and an arm wrapped around his middle, Oswald fell back asleep. He smelled really nice~. His fluffy hair had such a lovely fragrance from the shampoo he used last night.

After a little while longer of sleeping, Edward finally began to wake up. He groaned softly, and wiped his eyes. His vision was a bit blurry since he didn’t have his glasses on, but he looked down and saw Oswald tucked up next to him. He smiled softly, but carefully got out of bed, careful not to wake him. The lengthy man then opened his nightstand to retrieve his spare pair of glasses and put them on, finally letting his eyes see clearly. He blinked a few times, and rubbed his head so he wouldn’t strain himself. Once he was done with that, he looked outside and saw how light it was. He then scratched his head as he looked over at his alarm clock, his eyes widened.  
“I’m late!!!”  
He exclaimed a little to loudly as he quickly got out some decent, but not overtly dressy, clothes, and began to put them on, fumbling around like a child as he did so.

Oswald flinched awake and groaned. "Hm?", he asked in a groggy, sleep-filled voice to the sheets. The little bird in his big, warm bed still wasn't used to waking up this early. "What's wrong, sweetheart~?", he asked, now finally sitting up and looking over to the more frantic Edward Nygma.

Edward was quickly putting on his pants, and buttoning up his shirt. “Work! Late! Trouble! Gaaahhh!” He exclaimed as he quickly put on a tie, then a nice light blue blazer. He then ran over to the bathroom, went inside, then came out, comb in hand, making sure his hair looked nice. “I forgot to set an alarm! I never forget to set an alarm!” He exclaimed to himself as he rushed over to his desk and grabbed his GCPD badge and pinned it onto his right breast pocket.

The man set his feet to the floor and stood up to redo his tie and slide on his coat. "Don't you think you should be taking an off-day?", the Penguin asked, now sliding on his lovely, expensive shoes.

Edward stopped and blinked for a second, looking over at Oswald with a bewildered facial expression. “And miss work? No thank you!” He spoke simply as he hurried to the door, checking the clock as he did so. “Oh! I almost forgot!” He suddenly spoke up again as he made his way around the bed and over to Oswald. He smiled down at him and kissed his head. “Don’t work   
yourself to death.” He spoke simply as he headed back towards the door.

Oswald quickly followed him out. "Don't worry, I won't." The man assured and pulled out his phone. "Hello, Charles. I'm outside of Mr. Nygma's apartment complex, come pick me up outside, will you?"

Edward hummed in reply as he looked back and saw the man get off the phone. “I trust you don’t need me to stand with you while you wait for your ride?” He joked with a smile as he crossed his arms.

Oswald reached over and held the younger man’s hand. "You're late for work. I'd assume you want to get there as soon as possible. Oswald kissed the back of his hand. "Will I be seeing you at the club?"

“Undetermined.” He spoke quickly as he gave the man a nod and began to jog to work, waving frantically as he went off.

The boss sighed, but was quick to smile softly. At least he seemed to feel better, despite having his 'cherry' popped by some grubby mobster. If he had known that was his first time, Oswald would have taken Ed's virginity himself. At least then they would both have something special to lose to each other.

Edward quickly made his way to the GCPD, sweating, panting. He received some odd looks but brushed them off as he made his way into the file room to pick up some documents for a case he overheard that was being worked on. No one really seemed to notice that he was late, and he was fine with that since he normally had all of his work done in half the hours he was required to work.

In the later hours, when evidence from the forensic team had been discovered, Jim and Harvey were having their own discussion.  
"You hear 'bout the new club Penguin's opened up?", Harvey began.  
Jim looked up. "The Iceberg Lounge? What about it?"  
"Somebody down south just reported someone paid mad cash to Penguin for one of his burlesque dancers. Ten grand."  
"Who in their right mind would pay that much money for a stripper?"  
"Beats me. But the guy that made the payment works for Sal Maroni. You seeing what I'm seeing?"

Meanwhile, during that conversation, Edward was peeking around a wall, listening to the conversation with attentive ears. His eyes widened with the mention of 10 grand, and one of Sal Maroni’s men. He gulped softly, but continued to eavesdrop, no one really paying him any mind as he did so.

"Are you saying that we investigate? We'd need a warrant for that.", Jim replied.  
"No, no, no. We aren't going to investigate. We'll go in, act like regular patrons, snoop around and get the job done. We've got tabs on Penguin, we know what kind of shit that slimy freak gets into."

At those words, Nygma got even more freaked out, he had left some of his things there the previous night. If they were discovered, they would figure out that they belonged to him. He felt like he was about to just drop to the floor right then in there.  
He had to intervene.  
“What’s this I hear about, investigating?” Edward spoke up as approached Bullock and Gordon.

"Nygma.", James addressed him.  
"It's not good to be peepin' around every corner, Ed.", Harvey groaned. "But yeah, we're planning on going to Penguin's new joint. You heard of it? Supposedly, he's been doing some suspicious stuff in there, but we don't have all the facts.”

“The Iceberg Lounge, I believe is the name of the establishment, if I’m correct.” He stated, pushing up his glasses. “I’ve heard a lot about it from numerous amounts of people. I also heard that one of the dancers there was paid up front, cash of 10,000 dollars. Weird, huh? That much for a dancer?” He inquired, a goofy grin on his face as he spoke. He hid back all the emotion in his head and just acted oblivious, as if he didn’t ever go there.. or work there.. or be the one who was paid ten grand....

"You heard it, too?", Jim asked.  
"Word travels fast."  
"$10,000 definitely has to be a front for something. We'll definitely get to the bottom of this tonight."

“You already got a warrant?” Edward inquired with a slight tilt of his head. “That must’ve been hard to acquire, because from what I hear, the man who runs that place has such a short temper he would never allow the search of his club.”

"You heard it right, but we aren't investigating.", Harvey said, leaning back in his seat. "We're going in as patrons, and we'll snoop around if we need to."

“I advise you to be careful. I hear that if someone enters and they cause even the slightest suspicion, they will be. Well. Screwed.” He spoke with a worried, yet smart tone. “You should probably bring along someone else who doesn’t look so...” He looked over at Bullock, then at Gordon and smiled. “You know.”

"You sure know a lot about this club. You study it as much as you study those dead bodies of yours, Nygma?", Harvey laughed.  
"Are you suggesting that we bring you? We aren't trying to sneak in, Oswald knows who we are."

“Exactly my point. If he knows who you are and you just so happen to show up at his club randomly, he’ll suspect something. Whereas, I’ve never met him, and he wouldn’t suspect anything with me. So if by chance, something happens to you and Harvey, I can take over.” He spoke as he pushed up his glasses and gave Gordon an affirming look.

Harvey chuckled. "Sorry, Ed, but they don't allow forensic scientists on the investigation team. Move along." James didn't add anything, instead just turning back to Harvey so they could focus on their little plot.

Edward just shrugged his shoulders and walked the other way. As he did, he began to think what he could do, because he had to warn Oswald, and also get rid of the evidence that he worked there.

Too bad Oswald hadn't given him his number yet. That wouldn't have been a great tool.

Edward knew he had to be one step ahead of the two detectives. He went off, and began to think.  
He had time, the club doesn’t open till about an hour after he gets off work.  
So by that logic: he would have about less than an hour to get there, warn Oswald, and get his stuff, and get out before it opens.  
Simple enough, right?  
Right?  
Edward rode out the rest of the day, doing his work as usual, and counted down the minutes till he was done with his shift, once he was done, he took the front exit.

Oswald was walking around the front of his lobby, waiting for his employees to turn up. Well, actually, he was only waiting for Edward. He hoped the man would come by for a show. Seeing him on that stage was mesmerizing~.

Edward soon quickly arrived at the establishment, bursting through the door. Sweat beading on his forehead as he planted heavily and almost collapsed to the floor.

"Ed!", he smiled, seeing his presence. "Edward?" He approached his friend and put a helping hand on his shoulder. "Why did you run here? What's wrong?"

“Gordon... bullock.. secret... investigation!” Edward breathed out, hunching over to get more air into his lungs.

Zsasz came over and stood by Oswald, who tried to help him recover before asking any questions. "Come here, friend. Sit down." The man took him to a leather loveseat while ordering Victor to fetch a glass of water.

By this point Edward was still breathing hard, but he was a bit better than he previously was. “James Gordon, and Harvey Bullock got some tips on what’s been happening here. They’re suspicious of the ten grand scheme. They know they couldn’t get a warrant so they’re coming in tonight to check out the place, incognito.” He spoke, breathless as he lay back in the seat.

"They what? Ugh, I haven't been doing anything and they still suspect me..." he sighed. "I must remind myself to give you those $10,000 in full. It's not my place to take that money."  
Zsasz handed him a drink. "Thank you for warning me ahead of time. You're a true ally."

“....No problem.” He replied with a gulp. In his mind he felt a little bad about how his first thought was that they would find out Edward worked there, and just so happened to be the one who wanted 10,000 for his first and only private room. “I have to grab my clothes from the back that I left here yesterday, I don’t want them to see my glasses and suspect anything...”

"Oh, of course. Will you be working tonight?" Oswald rubbed his shoulder and kept him comfortable. Victor observed this but didn't say anything… yet.

“Do you think that would be a good idea?” Edward asked, his eyebrow raised as he looked into Oswald’s eyes. Worry and confusion drawn all over his face.

"Well, it might draw less suspicion if all my dancers were there, but you can decide. I don't want to force you into something you don't want to do."

“I’ll think about it..” Edward muttered as he took a very large sip of his water.

"Please do. Performances start in over an hour." Oswald stood up and walked off with Victor.  
"You sure do give him lots of special attention.", Zsasz commented.  
"Of course I do. He is my friend and my best performer."

Edward still sat there for a moment, collecting himself. Then, realizing the club was going to open soon, he made his way to the back dressing room to sort out his clothes and continue thinking about it he wanted to perform that night or not.

More of the other employees came inside and began to dress. Oswald was nervously pacing near Ed's changing room. Jim and Harvey were getting ready to put on their casual suits and walk into the Iceberg Lounge.

Edward was sitting down on the floor, staring at his hat. Wondering... if he should do it or not.  
‘Come on, it would look weird if you didn’t perform tonight. Especially since your little GCPD buddies are going to be out there.’  
“Yes, but what if they recognize me? Even with the costume?”  
‘Kristen and Lee didn’t recognize you at all.’  
He had a serious point there. He sighed, looking down at the dark purple hat once more, before standing up and taking off his glasses.

Soon, Harvey and James Gordon entered the building, seeing entertainers all by the lounge greeting guests with charm and dignity. Oswald walked up to both of them with a big fake smile, Zsasz standing right behind him. "Jim! Harvey! What a surprise!", the man grinned as he approached the two. "Now, I must inform you that cops don't take too kindly--"  
"Relax, Oswald, we ain't here for your throat. Save that for another day.", Harvey explained. "We heard around down that there were some beautiful ladies at your club. Came here to check it out."  
"Really? Even you, Jim?"  
"Wanted to try something new. I trust Harvey's choice.” he smiled and walked with him to the bar.

Edward was currently in his dressing room taking his sweet time getting ready. He heard commotion going on outside, assuming the club was already filling up to the brim with people. Speaking of brim, Edward grabbed his hat and placed it on his head over top of his smoothed down hair. He caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror and smiled before putting on his mask.  
‘Let’s give those detectives, a real nice welcome~’

Harvey spoke in a low whisper with Jim. "Who do you think got the $10,000 from Moretti?"  
"Most likely a girl, but I don't really know. Moretti could swing either way."  
A female worker approached Harvey and entertained him with some light conversation. Of course, they questioned her,but her alibi was that she had been sick the previous night.

Once the man was done, he made his way out to the main area and whistled as he did so. Almost instantly he was bombarded with women and men coming up to him, some asking for private rooms already, others just wanting to buy him drinks. He smiled and greeted all of them, making witty banter with the masses. He gave some winks to some of the ladies, and bit his lip in the direction of some men.

Jim turned to the noise and saw the green man covered in patrons who simply adored him. Harvey looked over after his partner pointed it out to him. "He must be a favourite."

Edward was laughing with some ladies who decided to test him with some absurd riddles, his smile so charming it could knock someone dead. He then noticed someone staring at him, and looked over to see Jim Gordon and Harvey. The man winked, then went back to his conversation.

Harvey eyed James and they came to the conclusion that he was a likely subject. Flirty, popular, and definitely charming. However, his build wasn't quite up to par...  
Jim raised his hand. "Excuse me, sir." He gestured towards Riddler. "In the green suit. Would you come here, please?"

The man blinked, but kept his facade. He apologized to the people he was around and told them he would be back. The Riddler then made his way over to the detective. “Good evening, gentlemen.” He purred out, dropping his tone so it sound deeper and smooth.

"Evening, yourself.", Harvey replied. "Mind answering a few questions for us?"

The man nodded his head, flashing the men a smirk. “I wouldn’t mind, at all.”

"Are you available for a private room?", Jim asked. Ah, the age-old question that everybody asked.

The man eyed Jim up and down then let out a chuckle. “Hate to let you down, but no, I’m not. Though a lot of people have been requesting me as of late.” He spoke with a soft sigh.

"Oh yeah? What if you got paid?", Harvey asked. "Say...$3,000? That's a hell of a lot of money for a private room."

“No can do, I don’t want to have to go through the paper-work to have a fling with someone. No offense, gentlemen.” He spoke slyly, as some of the girls he dismissed earlier came back over to him, starting to swarm the dancer.

"What if it was more, huh? You'd still do it for that much money?" He cut to the chase. "Where were you last night, sir?"

“With Oswald. Helping clean up his office. He had a client that utterly trashed the place, and since I was around he called upon me to assist him.” He lied simply, a calm look on his face, nothing to suspect. “Don’t believe me? Ask him.”

"We'd love to, but if we investigate Oswald, we'll be outta this joint quicker than he takes to kill a man."  
"Rolls right off the tongue, Harv.", Jim said sarcastically.  
"Listen, do the right thing. Just let us know the insides of this whole ten grand situation. There's no use in being loyal to him, he'll drown in his own blood and bring everybody down with him."

‘I’ll drown him in his own blood...’  
“Woah. 10 grand?” He spoke, making sure his eyes lit up with fascination when he heard it. “You think someone here was paid THAT much for a private?” He asked with a laugh as he shook his head. “That is absolutely ridiculous.” He spoke with a wave, dismissing the foolish idea. “The workers here have a certain... limit they can take. It’s the first I’m hearing someone offer $10,000...” He spoke in wonderment, his dialogue attracting the attention of some of the workers.

"Oh yeah? Then what would some guy be doing giving away so much for a stripper? Sounds a little fishy to me."

“No clue.” The man spoke obliviously, as he looked over at a nearby clock on the wall. “Now if you two lovely gentlemen would excuse me, I have a performance to get ready for.”

Jim whispered to Harvey on how they weren't getting anywhere with this. The man just shrugged and suggested they just enjoy the show. Oswald was on the balcony with Zsasz beside him. Harvey was very much enjoying the shows of the women, even throwing some dollar bills in their direction.  
"And finally, the one and only Riddler!"  
Many women cheered and clapped for him as he came onto the stage. "Riddler, huh? Sounds like something Nygma would be into.", Harvey laughed to Jim.

The man sauntered his way onto the stage, his brilliant green suit sparkling under the lights. He went up to the front, and gave his signature bow. He gave a soft chuckle at all the cheers and claps he was getting, and winked at a few women, earning some shrieks. He then made his way over to the piano and began to play a jazz song.  
“The night, is bitter. The stars lost their glitter, the winds grow colder and suddenly you’re older~”

"Wow, he can sing.", Jim commented.  
"No wonder he's a hit with the ladies. The guy's, like, triple dynamite."

Edward continued to sing, occasionally looking out at the audience as he normally did. At one point, he peeked up at the balcony and smiled a bit when he saw Oswald, but quickly looked back and continued to play until his song concluded.

The audience cheered and clapped for him, one woman shouting, "I love you, Riddler!", from her seat. He was almost gaining a cult following at this point.

Riddler stood up and bowed once more, smirking at the audience all the while doing it. Then, with ease, he transitioned into his strip-tease.

Harvey and Jim watched his show and agreed with each other that he was very good at what he does. Everybody was throwing money and some women threw flowers in his direction. The announcer left everyone to hang out in the lobby, including the detectives. Suddenly, Victor came up to Edward. "Penguin wants you in his office. Says it's important."  
Jim paid attention to this. Him and Harvey silently agreed to sneak up near his office and eavesdrop if they could.

Edward nodded slowly, and made his way to the man’s office, humming softly to himself as he did so. He then finally made it to the man’s office, and this time, he remembered to knock on the door.

"Come in, friend.", he smiled from his desk and stood up. "Your performance was wonderful as always..." he reached out to hold his hand. "...but those two are really bothering me. Have they done anything to you, yet?" Oswald kissed his perfect hand.

“They talked to me, briefly. Questioned me about the money scandal... if you can even call it a scandal.” He spoke with a chuckle as he watched with soft eyes as the man kissed his hand. “For safety precautions, it might be best to double security. Who knows what those two rats could be up to...”

"Most certainly. Thank you, Ed."  
The detectives turned to each other for a moment until Penguin's lackeys saw them and kicked them out.

Edward smiled softly and nodded his head in reply. “Just simply making sure that nothing goes wrong. Wouldn’t want a disturbance for your club, Mr. Penguin.”

Oswald smiled widely and came forward to hug his employee. "Trust is so very hard to find in Gotham. But I trust you, Ed."

Edwards cheeks turned red but he still looked straight into the man’s eyes. “As I’ve told you before; I would do anything for you, Oswald.”

With a big, happy smile, Oswald tilted his head up to kiss the lips of his friend. "Thank you. Oh, I almost forgot--" he turned around and picked up an envelope from his desk. "This is the money Moretti gave to me. I think it should all go to you."

“I don’t want it.” Edward spoke honestly as he waved the envelope away with his hand. “I wouldn’t know what to do with it. Also it would be weird if I just had a random surplus of money hanging around me.”

"Ed...I can't keep it know what I did to you..."

“It’s. It’s fine.” The man brushed off as he got a bit closer to Oswald. “No sense in dwelling in memories when we can live now in the present.”

Oswald sighed and stroked his arm. "Alright then...But please let me know if you change your mind." He placed the envelope into a drawer and shut it. "I liked your performance tonight."

“Did you? I’m glad.” He smiled brighter as he reached his hand up and placed it on top of Oswald’s hand that was currently on his shoulder.

"Of course. Yours is always the best." He squeezed the man's hand. "Would you mind going out to greet the guests?"

The man gave a curt nod, as he brought Oswald’s hand up with his own. He kissed the back of his hand, then made his way out of the office to go and greet the patrons.

One of Oswald's lackeys came up to him and informed him of the cops snooping around. With a heavy sigh, he walked down to the alleyway just outside of the building. "What the hell did I say earlier? You said you were going to enjoy the show, and yet you're outside of my office! Get out!" If only he could ban them from ever stepping foot in his club.

Meanwhile Edward was in the lounge, talking with a few patrons. He was oblivious to what was going on with Oswald. He brushed it off and just decided to focus on the guests.

The boss came back to talk with guests and arrange private rooms. But he stayed near his favourite little star. Something about Edward always drew the man to him.

Edward tried to focus all of his attention on the guests, but kept finding himself looking over at Oswald. Every time he did, he wanted to smile, but he didn’t want to look too dorky and out of character with the people.

The man approached Edward near the time it was about to close and smiled up at him. "Today is the last day of your work week. Are we still going to your house for dinner tomorrow?" he asked in a low voice.

“Of course.” He answered back, his voice deep, right on his fry tone. “Unless you’re canceling on me?” He joked with a smirk.

"I would never." He assured. "How is 6 o'clock?", he asked.

“Perfect.” He stated simply, adjusting his hat and humming to himself in contempt.

Soon, the burlesque club was closed for the night and Penguin was handing out checks to his dancers. After everything was settled, the short man knock on Edward's dressing room door, requesting access to come inside.

“Come in!” The lengthy man called out, unbuttoning his shirt so he could get out of the costume and put on his casual clothes. “I’m still changing though...” He muttered to himself with a soft chuckle.

Oswald walked in to see him mostly naked and felt the heat rise to his cheeks. He closed the door and slowly approached his friend for yet another deep kiss, this time with his hands gently running along the folds of his clothes and bare skin.

Edward welcomely embraced Oswald, eagerly kissing back as he ran his hands down the man’s back. He exhaled a large puff of air out of his nose at the feeling of Oswald running his hands across his skin.

The shorter man pulled away to breathe for a moment before he kissed his long, lovely neck. "Do you think you could cover up a hickey with makeup~?"

“I can most certainly try~” The man chuckled in return as he ran his hands through the shorter man’s hair.

With a smile, his employer pulled back and sunk his teeth deep into the crook of Edward's neck. Hearing the sounds made was so...delicious~. Oswald sucked and bit a few more times around that area, while also pressing both of their chests close. They were in each other's heat.

Edward bit his lip harshly, and let out a soft, but audible deep groan as he gripped onto Oswald’s hair, with a sigh. He just stood there, the heat rising with Oswald so close to him.

Finally, with saliva covering nearly all of his neck; even a string of it that followed Oswald's lower lip, the boss stood on his tippy toes to have another heated kiss with Edward. He huffed and smiled when he finally pulled away. "Have a good night, Mr. Nygma~."

Edward smiled, his eyes half lidded, glasses somewhat foggy looking. “You too, Mr. Penguin~” He purred back as he looked down at his neck and chuckled softly to himself.

He gently waved his hand and exited the changing room to a rather smug-looking Zsasz. "Is that another one of his special--"  
"Don't.", he replied sternly.

Edward quickly changed himself, buttoning up his shirt all the way so his neck wouldn’t be exposed. Once he was done changing, he walked out of the dressing room so he could start to head home.


	18. Lasagna With Dessert

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I wonder which is more delicious, dinner or Ed?

The following evening, Oswald made sure to dress up even nicer than he usually did for this casual dinner. He wanted to impress Ed for some reason. He wanted to make the boy compliment him and touch him and all those soft, mushy things. The man wore his best purple tie, too. His favourite.  
Oswald called Charles to pick him up and drive him over to Ed's apartment. Eager as the man was, he was still a little late. 6:16. Edward would certainly forgive him. 

Edward had been preparing all day, making sure he had the right ingredients to make the perfect dinner. On top of that he cleaned up his entire apartment, even though it was already fairly clean. He also went out and bought some candles, because he hated overhead lighting. So the mixture of the candles and the neon green sign outside of his apartment, illuminated the little area perfectly. Edward didn’t want to over dress himself, so he decided to wear a nice button up, and matching tie, but! He wore a sweater over top so it looked casual but also had some sense of class to it. He also did his hair, so his hair wouldn’t get into his face. He was preparing the table, when he looked at his watch.  
It was already 6:00 and he wasn’t there. That made Ed frown a bit, thinking that the man would be punctual, but maybe he got caught up in something....  
‘Or maybe, he’s not going to show up.’  
“He’s going to show up.”  
Edward was quick to retort as his hallucination just laughed at him. The lengthy man just brushed it off and continue to make sure the apartment was perfect for when Oswald would show up.

His boss knocked on the door, already smelling the lovely scent of spices and heat from his door.

A smile etched its way onto his face as he got up and went to answer.

He smiled, light eyes shining brightly at the sight of his friend. "Good evening, Ed. It's nice to see you." The bird-like man came forward to give him a hug and a gentle kiss on his cheekbone. "How was your day?"

“It was peaceful.” He spoke simply, returning the kiss by planting it on the man’s head. “Simple, not too extravagant.”  
‘Simple? You were cooking and racing all around town all day.’  
“How about you?”

"I had a lot of paperwork to file. But I'm happy to decompress and have a lovely dinner with you." Oswald closed the door behind him and slowly took off his coat. "What did you make for us? It smells amazing~."

“Nothing too complex... but you’ll see in a bit. It’s still baking in the oven.” He exclaimed as he went behind Oswald and took his coat from him and proceeded to hang it up.

"Oh-- thank you~." he smiled and took a seat at the other end of his table. "Whatever it is, I trust you've done it well."

Edward smiled in return as he hung up the man’s coat and walked over to the table. “You flatter me too much, Mr. Penguin.”

"It's the truth, friend. You're an incredible man. It wouldn't surprise me to know how lovely your cooking is."

Edward chuckled softly at that, a toothy grin showing through as he pushed up his glasses. “What a gentlemen~” He purred softly as he sat down across from the man.  
“But I should also be letting you know how absolutely divine you are, because you’re a wonderful man~”  
He didn’t know where that came from, but he leaned forward, folding his hands and letting his elbows rest on either side of the table.

He smiled, shaking his head to the side and tilting it down. "Oh, Ed~. You say such nice things~.", he smiled widely, quickly regaining his composure and sitting up properly. "Would you happen to have drinks to serve? I'm parched for a bit of wine."

Edward nodded, getting back up from his seat and heading to the kitchen. “I picked up a nice bottle this afternoon.” He spoke, loud enough for Oswald to hear him across the room. He then brought the bottle over, remembering he had already put the glasses out, but not the wine. He wanted to let it chill, so it would be perfect.

"How perfect~. I'm sure this will go well with our meal?" he asked, continuing to shine those pearly whites at his favourite man.

“Mhm.” He spoke as he popped the cork out of the bottle and poured Oswald a tall glass of wine.

The man smiled and thanked his friend for it, taking a drink almost right away. "I don't think I mentioned it yesterday night, but I kicked those two cops out of my club. Apparently they were snooping in front of my office. I was assured they weren't there for long."

Edward poured himself a glass, then put the bottle down with a soft sigh. “They thought they could get away with mindless snooping.. They knew they couldn’t get a warrant. Idiots, if you ask me..” He muttered, rolling his eyes as he took a sip of his wine.

"Most certainly idiots. I know they have something against me, so why don't they just ask Moretti?", Oswald sighed. "That entire night was just...a mess..." he wanted to badly to apologize but what more would saying 'I'm sorry' for the 10th time do?

“Would’ve been simpler to just go and bug him..” Edward added with a scoff as he leaned back in his seat and sipped his wine. “That man was a God awful mess...” He muttered to himself, his expression now dark.

"Excuse me?" he asked, surprised over what a dark expression Edward took on. The club owner was actually a bit curious to know about his experience, but at the same time, he didn't want to upset the boy.

Edward looked up and over at Oswald. He blinked for a minute, then chuckled softly. “Let’s just say, if anyone tries anything like that on me again, I’ll put them in a choke hold.” His tone was dark, but a sinister smirk was on his face.

"Oh...Oh, God, he didn't force you into it, did he?" he inquired warily. His poor baby boy…

“Oh. No.” He spoke bluntly, chasing the rest of his wine with haste. “He may have been a brute, but he didn’t force me into anything.”

"Then...what did he do? It sounds like a truly horrible time..."

Edward just let out a huff, and began to pour himself another glass of wine. “He just acted smug. He was also rather creepy... I don’t want to be too crass with these next details, but I never saw myself as a bottom... then he. Well. You can fill in the blank from there.” He finished as he took a sip of his new glass of wine. “He was quick. He got it done and over with. But it was just.... distasteful.” He stated rather bluntly.

Penguin bit his lip and looked down. It took a lot of energy just to stop himself from saying 'I'm sorry' to Ed. But this was his fault. He pressured Edward into it for the money. He convinced the man to drive his price up. Maybe if Oswald respected the other man's decisions, he wouldn't have been robbed of an experience. His employer turned oddly silent as he fell into thought.

Edward looked up while drinking his wine and blinked. “Are you alright?” He asked, concern washing over his face as he put his glass down. “I didn’t say anything out of line, did I?”

"No, not at all, I was just thinking...", he replied, picking up glass again to drink. "Um, is our meal ready yet?" A change of subject was good…

“Might take a few more minutes, still looked like it needed more time when I was getting the bottle of wine.” He spoke with a smile as he picked his glass back up and took another sip.

"Hm. It smells so good, you practically torturing me~. I want to eattttt~." Oswald chuckled softly.

Edward snickered to himself at Oswald’s impatience. He smiled softly. “Don’t worry, it’ll be done soon.”

"Hm, I could eat something else in the meantime~.", the man joked and gave his friend a wink. His eyeliner look so pretty on his lashes~

Edward froze. Face turning bright red as he looked absolutely scatterbrained. “Uh. I. Uh-“ At that moment the oven rang and he immediately bolted out of his seat and into the kitchen.

Oswald put a hand over his mouth to hide his smile and laughter, but those cheekbones gave it away. Edward was so cute when he was shy like that~!

Ed took the dish out of the oven, using his oven mitts so he wouldn’t get burned of course, and set the hot pan onto the stove. “Might have to wait a bit for it to cool down..” Edward shouted, then trailed off as he made his way back over to the table.

The man pouted. "You're still going to make me wait~?" He batted his lashes, still acting like a total flirt.

“My apologies.” He spoke softly as he sat back down across from the man and let out a soft sigh.

"So, are you going to answer my question, yet?", Oswald questioned with an excited little smile.

“What question?” The man asked, entirely oblivious to what Oswald was referring to.

"If you'll let me eat something else~." He looked Edward up and down and purposefully licked his lips.

Edward gulped. “I-I beg your pardon?” He asked, his voice high and flustered.

Oswald stood up and approached him like a lion after it's prey. "I'm asking if I could take a lick of your lollipop, Mr. Nygma~.", he whispered hotly, slowly growing closer to his ear and purring softly. "Perhaps you'd like it if I swallowed your batter~."

“D-Don’t spoil your dinner.” Edward managed to say as he closed his eyes and waved off the man. Meanwhile his insides were growing hot with every word the man said.

"Oh, don't be like that, Ed~.", he smiled, sitting back in his seat. "I'm just hungry. Although I'm more than happy to have you for dessert~."

‘I’d love to have him for dessert~’  
“It should be cooled down enough but still hot enough to eat!” Ed blurted as he got up from his seat and raced back into the kitchen, distracting himself by beginning to plate the homemade Italian meal he prepared.

The man just giggled and watched him cook until--  
Oh my--  
Was that his ass?? His real, natural derriere????? Oswald leaned back to look at it from all different angles from his spot on the table. He knew those shorts that one performance accented his behind, but even with clothes on, Edward had it thick and good~. The man was quick to regain himself and sat up properly once Ed turned around.

Ed had come to the table, plates in his hands. “I made homemade lasagna... I hope you like Italian food...” He spoke with a smile as he placed the warm plate in front of Oswald then went to his own seat and sat down.

"Oh!" He smiled and brought his hand down to pat his own knee and nod. "This looks beautifully cooked, thank you, Ed." He picked up his utensils, delicately cutting himself a bite to cool down with his breath and bite. "Mmm~." He hadn't eaten more home-cooked meals in a while. Usually he had Olga make steak or other high-end cuisine foods for him. Eating this was such a wonderful change of palette. "This tastes so good~.", he commented with his mouth empty.

“Thanks.. it’s my own recipe.” He spoke with a smile as he started to dig into the meal as well, feeling himself fall into the nice Italian bliss that was lasagna. “I was thinking of making something fancier, but I thought we could both use some comfort food.”

"You made a good choice, I love it. I wasn't expecting you to be this good of a cook. Did you take classes?" he asked and happily scarfed away at the delicious piece of it.

“Nope, I just learned to cook on my own.” He spoke simply as he took a sip of wine. “Not a lot of home cooked meals in the home when I was younger, so I learned to cook.”

"Wow~.", he took another bite. "You really outdid yourself then. I love the texture."

Edward blushed softly, continuing to eat is what he did, but he was a bit flustered, he honestly didn’t know what to say so he just decided to stuff his face.

Once Penguin finished his lasagna and wine, he wiped his mouth with a napkin and smiled over at Edward. "Did you make dessert?"

The man thought for a second, tapping his fork onto his plate with a soft huff. “I completely forgot to make dessert..” He spoke with a sad, disappointed tone. He knew he should’ve, but he already took up more than half the day making the dinner alone.

"Oh, well that's alright. The dinner was lovely enough.", Oswald smiled and stood up to place his dishes near the kitchen sink and come back to face Edward directly. "My offer from before still stands~."

Edward leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes for a moment. With the two glasses of wine he consumed, he felt a warm buzz pulsate throughout his body. Without even thinking the man hummed, and said, “I wouldn’t mind~”

Oswald smiled happily and leaned forward for a deep kiss. "Should we move to your bed, Mr. Nygma~?"

Edward nodded with a soft hum, getting up from his seat and grabbing the man’s hand. He walked him towards the bed, and sat down, leaving Oswald to stand in front of him.

The man kissed his friend again, using his good leg to sit on Ed's lap. "Thank you for dinner, you're so generous."

“Thank you for gracing me with your lovely presence~” Edward replied smoothly as he wrapped a hand around the other man’s waist. “Though... I must say, you were.. a bit late, hm~?” He began as he leaned his face closer to Oswald’s. “It's not nice to leave me worrying like that, Oswald.”

The man smiled at all the lively compliments he received. "My sincerest apologies, friend. Charles is such a slow driver. I might have to replace him if he does this again." Oswald kissed his neck and began to undo Ed's tie.

Edward chuckled softly, arms still wrapped around the smaller man as he undid his tie. “I hate being kept waiting, I even had the thought that you might not show.. that was bothersome to have pop into my head...” He muttered under his breath.

"Well, I'm very sorry~. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you~?", he smiled, dragging the loosened fabric out from his collar.

At those words the man thought for a second. Not even a minute later he laughed to himself and looked into Oswald’s eyes. “How about... you try dancing, for me?~” He suggested, a sly smirk on his lips.

The other man was genuinely at a loss for words. His mouth hung open while staring at Edward. "W-- With this leg? Don't be silly...", he replied dismissively after a long pause of awkward silence.

Edward chuckled softly at the man’s reaction, he would be lying if he said this expression on Oswald wasn’t amusing to see. “I was only kidding.” The man spoke with a laugh as he placed a kiss on the man’s forehead. “Don’t look so frightened~”

"Oh, right, of course." he chuckled and leaned into the taller one's body. "Did I mention how good you smell~? That cologne is intoxicating~."

Edward ran his hand through Oswald’s hair. “Why thank you. I knew you’d be able to appreciate it.” He spoke softly, admiring the look of the man in his arms.

"Oh, most certainly~." He began to untucked his tie from his beautiful brocade vest. "So, tell me, Mr. Nygma~. What would you like for dessert~." His voice was low and smokey in the stripper's ear.

“Oh dear... I haven’t really thought about what I want..~” He purred, a rather sarcastic and playful tone coming through his words. “How about you... surprise me~?”

With a smirk, Oswald pushed his lover down onto the bed slowly and readjusted his legs as to not injure his own knee. He put his good knee on the mattress beside Edward while his bad leg stretched out and stood on the floor. Not the best position, but at least he wouldn't ruin his knee.  
His boss's hands were quick to travel down to his crotch and unbutton his trousers. With a fast zip and two hard tugs, Ed was exposed just for Oswald. He wrapped his fingers around the other man's cock and stroked achingly slow.

Once Edward’s back hit the bed, he let out a gasp and looked up at Oswald. He took in a large breath and closed his eyes, then felt the man fast and furiously open his pants. He opened his eyes and was about to say something, but stopped when he felt the man’s hand wrap around his cock. “O-Oswald.~” He groaned out as his back arched at the slow speed.

"Mm~, yes darling~?", his boss took the time to admire his cock. So long and gorgeous~.

Edward sat up on his elbows, looking down at Oswald with a sexually frustrated/lustful expression. “Don’t tease me.” He growled softly, trying to regain composure.

"Teasing you~?" he asked. "I'd never~." The man slowly increased his speed and watched his reaction.

“Fuck....” The mean breathed out as he watched the man, eyes half lidded, lips parted and moist.

"Such a dirty mouth~.", the man scolded and rubbed his erection faster. "I wonder how dirty you can get by the time you cum~."

Edward groaned softly and bit his lip rather harshly while looking at Oswald. “H-Hah! Try me!” He challenged, but while saying this, he looked rather... uncertain.

His employer was quick to smirk and start rapidly moving his hand up and down Edward's shaft. "Moan for me~.", he demanded, using his authoritarian tone.

Edward closed his eyes and threw his head back, stifling a moan in the back of his throat, not wanting to give Oswald the satisfaction of making a single sound.

The fingers of his other hand reached down to the base of his cock and squeezed tight, acting as a type of ring. Oswald stroked him in a much faster burst of movement. "I ordered you to moan~.", he said to him in that same tone of voice.

“F-Fucking hell!” Edward cried out as he let out a soft breathy moan, clenching the bed covers as he did so.

Oswald suddenly stopped his movements altogether. "Something tells me you don't like this~.", he teased.

Edward bit his tongue when he heard the words the man said. He then quickly shot up, and grabbed the man by the collar of his shirt. “Oh yea? What makes you think that, Mr. Penguin~?” He growled seductively into the man’s ear.

Oswald flinched, grew a smile, and leaned closer to steal a kiss. "I want you to make lovely little noises for me~. If you don't do that, then I don't think you like this~." He gave him two strokes and then stopped.

The man flinched reflexively at the touch, but let out a shaky breath. “Don’t be such a tease...” He spoke in between breaths as he leaned forward and captured the man’s lips with his own.

"Mmh~, then give me what I want and I won't~.", he smiled wickedly before nipping Ed's bottom lip.

“You’re a sadistic man, Oswald...” The man grumbled out as he then smiled back at the man. “But two, can play at that game~” As if in only a matter of seconds, Edward reached down and unzipped, then unbuttoned the other man’s trousers and seized Oswald’s cock into his hand.

The boss gasped and let out a heavy breath. He was absolute putty in the brunette's hands. "What are you gonna do with that~?" he asked with a bit lip, large cock slowly hardening in Ed's palm.

“What do you want me to do, Oswald~?” Edward groaned softly into the man’s ears as he slowly stroked up the man’s length. “I could do, anything you want~”

"Hahh~...", the corner of his mouth twitched upward and his hips naturally rolled into his hand. "I'd love it if you'd use those luscious lips around me~."

“Only if you use yours on me~” The man purred as he slid his hand up and down the man’s length as Oswald rolled his hips into his hand.

Oswald moaned softly. "You know, we could always do it to each other~." he smiled and fluttered his mascara-lined eyes at Ed.

“That would be lovely~” The man cooed softly as he pressed his lips against Oswald and pumped his hand up and down slowly as he did so.

The bird moaned into Edward's mouth as his hand started to pick up the pace.

Edward removed his lips with a soft moan as he pressed his nose against Oswald’s and let out a soft sigh.

"There's my darling boy~.", he praised. "My star pupil's lovely little song~." He stroked a bit faster. "Sing more for me~."

“Mmmfff~” The man hummed out from his lips as he opened his lust filled eyes. Being in the throes of pleasure, he began to stroke Oswald a little faster. “Oswald~”

The man moaned softly and looked up at his friend. "God, you look so gorgeous like that~."

“I could say the same about you~” The man panted softly as he placed a kiss on the man’s forehead.

Oswald bucked his hips and pressed their foreheads together, still breathing heavily against him. "Oh, God, just take me~.", he whispered.

At the sound of that Edward went down and began to kiss the man’s neck softly, and continued to stroke the man’s length, teasingly slow.

Oswald moaned louder in Ed's ear and bucked his hips. "Don't be such a tease, Ed~.”

Edward trailed kissed down the man’s body, still moving his hand, then finally stopped when his mouth was a few inches away from the man’s throbbing cock.

"Please~.", he begged. "Please, I want you~." Oswald reached down to comb his fingers through Edward's hair.

The words made a tremor go through Edwards body, making his own cock twitch as he left out a shaky breath. He then leaned forward a bit more, and licked up the man’s length.

Oswald let out a soft moan. "W-Wai-Wait~...C-Can I lie down~? My knee is beginning to ache~..."

“Of course~” The man purred our softly as he lifted his head and looked into Oswald’s eyes.

Oswald shifted on the bed, now with his back against the sheets in the center of his bed. "O-Okay~...please continue~..."

Edward went back down and promptly licked the tip of the man’s cock and stroked the man’s shaft with his hand.

He left out a soft moan and bucked his hips involuntarily. "You're such a good little stripper~.", he praised. "So talented~."

The man hummed in response, as he began to take the first half of Oswald into his mouth.

"Ahh~...good boy~." He softly gripped his friend's hair, petting him to encourage the actions.

Edward continued to amplify his actions, making sure he made Oswald feel as good as can be. Soon, he took all of the man into his mouth, and began to bob up and down.

His employer let out a moan as his cock got sucked by the most beautiful pair of lips. The raven-haired man placed a hand behind Ed's head, encouraging him to go faster and deeper on him. "God~...", he panted and watched his dick disappear in the boy's mouth. "I'm getting close, Eddie~..."

Edward hummed in reply as he sped up his movements and looked up into Oswald’s eyes. He didn’t once dare break the contact, because he wanted to see the man’s face when he came.

Oswald looked right back, eyebrows creased and sweat falling down the side of his face. "Oh fuck~... oh, f-fu-- haahh~!!" He moaned and came in his mouth.

Edward swallowed all the liquid that flowed down his throat, then popped off of Oswald with a soft groan, panting as his cheeks turned pink.

The man laid back in bed, panting with his eyes closed while his cock softened. Oswald rode out his orgasm and squeezed softly at his lover's bedsheets.

Edward wiped the drool from his lips and let out a breathy sigh, and he looked at Oswald, lust glittering in his eyes.

Several minutes passed before Oswald could sit up and make out with Edward. "You're so gorgeous~. Come here and sit on my lap~."

Edward nodded as he lifted himself up and sat down on the man’s lap, making sure he didn’t put any pressure or weight on the man’s bad leg.

The bird used his hand to land a big fat smack on Edward's juicy ass. "You're still hard, aren't you~? I think you deserve to cum for once~." Oswald took Ed's cock in his hand and started stroking quick.

The man’s cheeks darkened as he bit down on his lip and stifled a moan, he then looked down at what the man was doing to him with half-lidded eyes. “O-Oswald-hmmmmf~!” He moaned out softly, not being able to contain his sounds any longer.

The bird smiled and paid attention to every little movement that made him moan. "That's right~. Moan for me~.", he ordered, keeping their faces close together so he'd capture every moment of pleasure on the boy's face.

“F-Fuck...” The man breathed out, as he wrapped his arms around the man and pressed his nose against Oswald’s. “Mmmm~ faster~” He spoke with a deep tone, moans escaping from his throat as he tried to hold himself back.

There's his good boy~. Oswald stopped stroking him and pushed both hands against his ass, forcing him to sit up on his knees. With that new position, Oswald took Edward's cock into his mouth and bobbed. He could really deepthroat~

“O-Oswald!” The man cried out as he looked down at the man, and blushed harshly at the dirty deed. His mouth felt so good around him...

With one hand against Ed's large ass, he used the other to fondle and massage his balls.

“S-Shit...” He cursed out yet again, he never normally cursed, but Oswald brought it out in him. He brushed the man’s hair back with his hand so he could see the birds beautiful face.

Oswald smirked at the little curse. With a hum, he spanked Edward's behind before continuing the blowjob.

The man groaned from the slap and gripped onto Oswald’s hair, pulling the locks softly with every burst of pleasure.

Oswald loved that groan and how he pulled on his hair. He slapped his ass a few more times while bobbing along his whole length.

“O-Oswald, I’m c-close...” He stuttered softly as he put a hand over his mouth, and bit down on his finger. He let out a soft keen.

Oh, fuck~ Do that again~  
He smiled and pulled off, now stroking Ed's cock with his hand, mouth wide open to catch all his cum.

Edward looked down at Oswald and felt himself about to burst. He removed his hand from his mouth and let out a shaky breath. “O-Oswald-!” He moaned out abruptly as he finally reached his breaking point and finished all over Oswald’s face.

The bird-like man caught most of his cum in his mouth, but a lot went all over his face. With confidence, he swallowed the load and wiped the white, sticky mess from his face before sucking it off his fingers. "Rest up, babe~."he smiled and stood up, ready to walk towards the coat rack.

Edward fell back, his entire face a pink mess as he closed his eyes and planted heavily, his body still on fire from what just happened. “Yes sir.” He said instinctively, his voice raspy and deeper than normal.

Oswald chuckled and slid his coat on and grabbed his cane. His final goodbye was planting a kiss on Edward's lovely lips and walking out the door.

Edward soon fell asleep laying right here he was. Cheeks still pink, pants still undone, and a big smile on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's Ed  
> btw here's another long chapter for y'all


	19. Pink Disaster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eddie gets caught and tells Oswald about Riddler. Also he's wearing pink.

Over the course of the week, Oswald planned out all sorts of outfits for the employees, and Friday was ladies' night. He created a look for every female and every male. For Edward, he gave him new pink accessories-- a dark pink mask, dark pink howler hat, and dark pink heeled boots. Not to mention his lovely light pink and white pin striped suit. It was all perfect~. By Friday, the boss ordered everyone to dress up for the night and to create special dances they think the women would like.

Edward kept looking at his new outfit. He had never been someone who wore pink, so this was a first for him. Strangely enough. He didn’t hate it. Currently, he was in his dressing room planning out what he was going to do for tonight’s performance.

Oswald knocked on his door while he was changing, a new habit of the boss that many of his lackeys had picked up on. Most of them knew he was in some type of relationship with his own employee.

Edward walked over towards the door and opened it, smiling when he saw Oswald. “Good evening, Mr. Penguin.” He spoke with a smile as he invited the man inside the dressing room.

The man kissed his cheek and looked over his pink suit. "Oh, what a handsome man you are~.", he complimented and smoothed out the sides of his sleeves. "Does it fit you well, my darling~?"

“It fits perfectly, thank you.” He spoke simply as he crossed his arms behind his back and gave the man a soft smile. “I’ve never really worn pink before, I was a bit worried I would look foolish...”

"Not at all. Everyone is wearing pink tonight." Even Oswald was wearing a little pink handkerchief in his breast pocket.

“Yea. I know.” He spoke with a chuckle as he straightened his hat on his head. Edward blushed softly, as he looked down at Oswald.

"You look absolutely stunning~." he smiled and leaned up for a kiss. "Have the hickeys faded yet~?" Oh what a tease that man was~

“Would you be mad if I said they did~?” The man smirked defiantly as he leaned down and pressed a kiss to the man’s forehead.

"Oh, I'd be very mad~.", he replied lowly, in an almost growling tone. "I'd have to brand you as mine all over again~."

“Mmm? Brand me as yours?” The man asked with a slight laugh in his tone, as he leaned over to match the smaller man’s height. “Mr. Penguin, with all due respect, you don’t own me~” He purred, enjoying seeing the frustration in the little bird.

Oswald suddenly pinned Edward to the nearest wall and pressed the head of his cane against the man's strong Adam's apple. "Don't be so coy~. You know I hate liars~." The man planted a sweet kiss on the other's lips, a total contrast to his intense actions from before.

Edward broke away from the kiss and let out a breathy laugh. “What if I’m not lying, sir~?” He growled out, wanting to see Oswald would do after saying words like that.

"Then I have several questions about our relationship, Mr. Nygma~." he growled back and pressed his cane harder into the boy's neck.

The man let out a soft groan as he bit his lip and looked down at the man with menacing eyes. “Don’t try and get me hot and bothered before the show, Mr. Penguin~”

"Maybe I will~." He smirked, pressing his bad knee against Ed's crotch slowly and softly. "That'll be your little punishment today~. Or would you rather I ruin your boxers again~." Earlier that week, in a moment of petty spite, Oswald replaced Ed's underwear drawer with faulty ones that easily ripped.

“Mmm, that wasn’t very nice of you...” The man retorted with a raised eyebrow. “Also, wouldn’t advise you putting your bad knee on me, you could get hurt~” The man purred with a pouty tone.

"Well you certainly know what would hurt more~.", Oswald bit back and pressed his leg harder into Edward's crotch as well as his bird cane. "Watch your attitude, Mr. Nygma. You know how much I hate it when things don't go my way~."

“It’s Riddler, to you.” The man suddenly corrected, eyes turning darker as he leaned up against the cane that was to his throat. “What would you do if things didn’t go your way~?”

Oswald pulled everything away and yanked Edward down by his tie for a quick kiss. "I'll do whatever I like with you~. Go make me proud~." The boss chuckled and walked out of the changing room as performances began. It was a full house of ladies and several gentlemen-- most likely their boyfriends. Oswald was in his balcony seat once again.

The man watched from backstage, preparing himself for what he was going to do. He noticed there was a more diverse crowd of people there that night. An equal balance of men and women. He was excited... he may or may not have had a special surprise for a certain someone....

All the ladies went first on stage, then it was the men, but as always, The Riddler was saved for last. Women cheered and whistled at the sound of his name over the announcements.

When it was his turn, the man dipped his hat and walked out onto the stage, smirking to himself at the rowdy applause he was receiving. He went to the front, and gave a signature bow as he always did. Edward then looked up and took his hat off, exposing his nice slicked back hair. He pressed the hat to his chest, and reached behind his back. “Leave your hats off boys, it’s rude to wear them indoors~” The man spoke aloud, his voice traveling throughout the space as he brought his hand back around and revealed a beautiful long-stemmed red rose. “But you can always make up for it, by giving your sweetie some flowers~” He purred as he looked up at Oswald in the balcony and gave him a wink. The lengthy man then made his way over to the piano and put his hat and the flower on top, then sat down and began to play some lovely jazz~.

Oswald smiled at the wink, leaning on his elbow to watch his lovely performance. Edward may be rebellious, but he was still so wonderfully romantic~.

The man began to play a nice sultry jazz song on the piano as he normally did, he performed with precision.. unlike most of the others. He was way too cocky on stage... but for the purposes of his performances, it worked perfectly. Once he was done, he stood and bowed once more to the audience and began to strip to a song he had never used before,  
“‘One look at you and I can’t disguise~” He sang softly along with the singer on the record. “I’ve got hungry eyes~”  
The man languidly pulled off his tie and bit his lip softly, looking up at Oswald briefly, his eyes darker than they normally were~.

The boss took his dark eyes as a sign of instilled confidence. It was how Edward was on the stage and when he wanted to get a little cocky in front of his own boss. Oswald observed his little strip with a bit lip, wanting to savor it. This would be a brand new performance, so he hoped it would be good~.

Edward continued doing what he was best at: giving the folks a real show. While in the process of slowly stripping, he shed off his overcoat. Once that was out of the way, the man swirled his hips and hummed softly as he took his hand, and slapped his thigh so hard you could hear the sound distinctly over the music. Whistles were heard when that happened, and Edward bit his lip, signifying that he was playing into it.

Oswald smiled lovingly at his beautiful little plaything. But then the doors burst open.  
"G.C.P.D.!", Jim Gordon yelled making everyone in the club gasp and feel terrified. Oswald was absolutely furious and limped down from his balcony seat. Another officer got up on the stage and cuffed the stripping dancer, without making him put back on any clothes he might have taken off. "'Riddler' you are under arrest for illegal prostitution. You have right to remain silent..." he took Edward down with him before Oswald appeared right in front of them.  
"What is the meaning of this!? You have no evidence that my employee has initiated in--"  
"Alfonso Moretti confessed to buying 'The Riddler' for $10,000 in one of your private rooms. You may not be accountable, Oswald, but your club is now under our radar." James pulled the masked man along and into the police car outside.

During the entire scenario, the man was frozen. He showed no emotion on his face, but it certainly looked like he was thinking quietly to himself.  
He honestly had no idea what to make of the situation.  
Edward made sure to catch one last glance at Oswald as he was being dragged outside.  
I’m going to kill that son-of-a-bitch Moretti...  
Edward looked up as he was dragged outside, seeing his doppelgänger leaning against the cop car.  
‘Your little boyfriend is just watching as your being dragged out by Jim. What does that say about his character to you?’  
Edward scoffed to himself and avoided the hallucinations gaze by looking down. Maybe. He was right. None of this would’ve happened, if he wasn’t pressured by Oswald to accept that private room offer....  
That was the bastard’s plan, all along...

James put him in the cop car and drove him down to the station. Before the man would slam the performer in the jail cell, he and Harvey faced him with many other employees looking in.  
"State your name for the record, bud.", Harvey spat as he always did. "And take that stupid mask off." He ripped the custom pink domino mask off of his face. Jim was looking at him funny, this Riddler guy was almost an uncanny-looking Ed.... wait...

Edward was so lost in his mind, that he didn’t even realized it wasn’t him in control.  
Riddler looked at Harvey, then looked over at Jim. Who knows if they figured out, maybe they did, maybe they didn’t. “You already know who I am.” He spoke bluntly, face unamused as he crossed his arms behind his back.

Jim's eyes widened and Harkey felt his mouth drop. "Ed!? What the hell are you doing working at a place like that! You betrayed us!"  
James was more amazed by the things he did on that pole. He watched Edward strip... and it did things for him~

 

The man just scoffed as he went over to the bench that was in the cell, and sat down. “I didn’t betray anyone, first and foremost. Secondly, I did it because I wanted to.” He spoke simply, a smile on his face as he crossed his legs and winked over at Jim.

The blonde cleared his throat and looked away nervously. "You were working for Penguin, you slimy little freak! Of course you betrayed us!" Harvey put Edward behind the bars of the jail cell.

“Oh? When I was there, I never talked about the GCPD.” He spoke as he grabbed the bars with his gloved hands. “Scouts honor!”

"Like I'd believe you.", Harvey scoffed and walked away. James was just there stunned.

“Suit yourself!” The man shouted after Harvey walked away. He let out a soft sigh and leaned forward onto the bars. Riddler felt eyes on him, and looked up to see Jim still standing there, gawking at him.

He cleared his throat again and looked away, walking off to catch up with Harvey. Now it was just Riddler in the jail cell.

“Sorry Eddie, you won’t be able to do your little experiments again any time soon...” He muttered under his breath, watching as Jim walked away. “On the other hand, I might conduct an experiment of my own~”  
The man walked to the back of the cell, and sat himself down with a soft sigh. He could work on a plan in the morning, but for now, he was a bit exhausted. He crossed his arms, and leaned his head back so he could try and perhaps get in a cat-nap.

Harvey noticed Edward’s attempts at sleeping and asked James to stand by the cell just in case he was trying to do something. Jim complied.

Being as exhausted as he was, Ed fell-asleep. His chest slowly rose and fell as some strands of his hair fell onto his face. His lips were slightly parted, and a few buttons on his dress shirt were undone, exposing some areas of his collarbone and chest.

Jim peeked a look, blushed and then looked back. A half hour later, Penguin burst through the G.C.P.D. and threw a wad of cash at Harvey. "That's bail money. Now release him!"

Edward woke up startled by the sudden nose, and rattled his cell by jumping slightly. He wiped his eyes and looked over to see Oswald. He bit his tongue, feeling rather.. unsure..

Oswald got to release Edward from his cell and held him close in a hug. "I'm sorry I couldn't come earlier..."

The man didn’t say anything I response to what Oswald had said, nor did he hug the man back..  
It was all his fault he got found out.  
He’s pretty sure he lost his job at the GCPD. And he couldn’t really handle that.  
Though his co-workers were rather bothersome, he liked the work that he did.  
He shrugged off the man’s touch, and put a hand up.  
“Mr. Penguin, a hug like that is inappropriate for a boss and his employee. Wouldn’t want anyone to think you’re fraternizing with your hired workers, would you?” He asked, his face serious.

Oswald looked a little stricken and stood back. "R-Right, my apologies..." he turned around. "Come with me, I'll take you back to the club."

The man nodded, he shoved his hands into his back pockets and followed behind Oswald. Before completely exiting the GCPD he made eye contact with Jim and winked at him. Smirking to himself as he left the building.

James quickly looked away. He was dating Lee Thompkins, he couldn't see Edward in that way.  
Oswald brought him into the limousine and offered him the choice of a beverage to ease his nerves.

Edward didn’t really say anything after they left the GCPD. Even when Oswald asked him if he wanted anything to drink. He just shrugged him off and leaned back into his seat, closing his eyes, and trying to block everything out.

"Edward...I'm sorry about this whole situation. I will most certainly pay any amount to let you keep your job there. I'll do anything for you..."

“I’m tired.” The man spoke simply as he let out a yawn, and crossed his arms. He didn’t want to acknowledge the man anymore then he needed to, tonight.

"Oh...okay..." he stayed silent in the car ride and Riddler have his time in peace. On the inside, the man was worrying about him.

When they arrived back to the club, Edward was still awake. His mind was racing endlessly with thoughts that he couldn’t sleep now.

Oswald came up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You can change and go home if you wish. Feel free to come by my office if you need me." The man kissed his employee's cheek and limped away.

I’m going to murder him...  
The man simply nodded and walked off into the club. It looked like a bit of a chaotic mess, if he was being honest. But it wasn’t too bad to try and clean up. He walked off, past the main room and backstage to his dressing room.

Oswald was trying to rack his brain around why Edward was so cold towards him. He paid for his bail, offered to pay and let him keep his job...What was wrong? Did the officers say something mean to his lover?

The man quickly changed out of his outfit, and began to put his regular clothes back on. He was.. weirdly sad about not being able to work for the GCPD anymore.. he hadn’t gotten the official clearance yet, but he ultimately knew. He was smart like that. And now..  
Now they knew.. about. Moretti..  
He didn’t even want to do it! It was all a ploy that the Penguin caused...  
It was all a trick from the beginning.  
He was always told that people could never trust that man.  
He was starting to think the people who said that..  
Were right.

Penguin decided that maybe he should ask Edward about it when he came out of the dressing room. Maybe they could sort something out together…

The dancer finally finished dressing himself. He looked over into the mirror and frowned. “That’s the end of that.” He muttered as he walked away and opened the door. He jumped in surprise to seeing Oswald there. “My apologies, I wasn’t expecting you.”

"Ah, I'm sorry for startling you." Oswald took his hand softly. "I just wanted to know if you were alright after getting arrested and whatnot… is there anything I can do to help you out in some way?"

“No. I’m fine.” The man replied, turning his head away so he wouldn’t have to look the shorter man in the eye. “I’m just tired, that’s all...”

He frowned and squeezed his hand. "Edward please don't lie to me. You can tell me anything..."

You embarrassed me. I was arrested. It’s all your fault. You don’t know how much I want to hurt you right now...  
“I’m just shaken up from what happened last night is all...”

"Last night?" he asked. "Edward..." he sighed. "Edward, please--"

“I meant. Tonight. Sorry. My head is just. On fire.” The man spoke, his eyes widening at how ditzy he was being with his speech. “thoughts racing. I can’t think straight...”

"Do you need to sit down?" he asked worriedly. "I can get you a glass of water." The man lead him over to the loveseat.

‘You’re getting sloppy, Edward~’  
The man nodded as he sat down and rubbed his temples, he let out a shaky breath as he tried to remain composed.  
“I apologize..”

"Please don't, it isn't your fault." Oswald snapped his fingers and ordered the bartender to get Edward a glass of water. "Do you need me to drive you home?"

“Please.” He asked softly as he closed his eyes and leaned his head back.

The bird hugged his employee and rubbed his back softly. "I'll be sure to get you a car, my friend..."

Eddie, although still not certain on how to feel, loved the comfort he was getting from Oswald.

The bartender came by with a glass of water and offered it to Edward. Oswald was rubbing his arms and stroking fingers through his hair as a way to comfort him.

He took the glass of water, and downed the liquid in seconds, then he handed it back to the bartender.  
’He’s playing for you for a fool, Ed.’  
Edward bit his tongue and closed his eyes, feeling as if his brain was on fire.

"Are you okay, Ed?" he asked, again, trying to keep Edward's focus on him. He was so worried for his health. Perhaps he was sick? Whatever it was, Oswald would be here to help the poor thing. "I can drive you to the doctor's or have one come here..."

“No doctors. I’m fine.” He stated firmly, his voice sounding like it was on the verge of breaking as he leaned onto Oswald slightly. The man wouldn’t be able to hold on much longer.

"Edward, I'm worried about you..." he held him a bit closer. "Did you do something at the station? You weren't like this earlier..."

“I didn’t do anything there. But get exposed.” He spoke through gritted teeth, a drop of malice showing through as he felt laughter in his ears.

"I-I know, and I'm sorry. I didn't know Moretti would be so open to reveal that type of information. I can't do anything about the gossip, but I can always get other places to hire you. If you work here full-time, I'd be willing to increase your pay."

“Why don’t you just cut off Moretti’s tongue? That way he can hopefully keep his mouth shut.” The man suddenly spat as he sat up, his eyes dark, as he adjusted his glasses. Something seemed... different.

"I cannot stress tensions anymore with Sal Maroni. If I do any harm to Moretti, my empire would be under serious distress. I may have a talk with him and his people. For you, my friend." He put his hand over Edward's and rubbed the back of his palm.

“If you don’t do it, I will.” The man spoke as he looked over at Oswald’s hand which was rubbing the back of his. “I could break all of his fingers, one by one for extra measure. A hit-man is useless without the use of his hands...”

"Edward, you're talking nonsense. Maroni would find out and kill you. And we can't have that." The man lifted the same hand to press a simple kiss to his knuckles.

“Then I’ll just kill Moretti and his men.” He spoke bluntly as he watched the man kiss his hand. “I will not be taken for a fool. By anyone. Especially that brute.”

"Edward, no.", he said firmly. "No one will make a fool of you. I'll take care of the whole situation first thing tomorrow. But you will not kill those men. Even if Maroni dies, his followers will live and they'll hunt after you. I'd rather you stay safe while I do the dirty work." He left another kiss on Ed's wrist.

“What if I’m dreadfully tired of staying safe? I got pounded by Moretti, tackled by Gordon, interrogated by Harvey. Screw being safe. I want to kick someone’s ass, and I’ll be damned if I have anyone stand in my way.”

Oswald just sighed. "Listen, you're delirious. You need some rest, my darling. Tomorrow morning, if you're still serious, feel free to come by the club around nine. You and I can talk to Moretti or Maroni or whoever together."

“I’m not. Delirious.” The spoke firmly as he sat up and took the man’s hand into his own. “We can talk now, I don’t want to wait will tomorrow morning.” The man spoke with a clear, eerily calm voice, he looked from Oswald’s hand and into his eyes.

"No, you need to rest. You were acting like you were about to faint just moments ago." Oswald leaned forward to press his face into the younger man's chest. "I'm worried for you enough..."

“Worried for me? That’s rich..” The man muttered under his breath, as he looked down at Oswald. “Rest won’t make me change my mind.” He spoke defiantly.

Oswald looked up with creased eyebrows. "What is that supposed to mean...?" he asked sadly, soft voice almost breaking. "I don't expect you to change your mind but I would prefer it if we did this tomorrow."

“Hmmm? Oh nothing.” He spoke as he gave the man a very soft smile and let out a chuckle. “Don’t look sad, it doesn’t suit your complexion...”

"E...Ed, I am worried for you. My feelings toward you aren't fake, you know..."

The man reached down, and put his hand under the man’s chin.  
He could hardly believe that...  
“I know, Oswald.”

A bit of blush tinted on his cheeks and he reached his hands up to lovingly stroke his hair. "And you know I care for you, don't you?", he smiled softly.

Of course Edward knew that Oswald cared for him. But The Riddler didn’t...  
“Of course I do.” He spoke softly, humming as the man ran his hands through his hair.

"And you know...that I absolutely hate it when you lie...", he suddenly frowned. "You don't believe me. After everything I've done, I don't understand why you don't believe how much I trust you, Ed. It makes me feel like a fool for having you as my friend in the first place."

“He believes you.. but I have a hard time...” He mumbled, not realizing he said it out loud as he cleared his throat instantly and took a large breath in through his nose.

"'He'? What are you on about?" he asked with a cocked eyebrow. "Your ego? Your 'real self'? Your...twin brother?"

A scoff came out of the man’s mouth as he stood up from the loveseat, picking up Oswald in his arms as he did so. “Twin brother? Please. Real self. Hardly...” He muttered as he leaned in close to the man’s face. “I believe the term you’re looking for is: split personality.”

Oswald eyed him up and down and the scene clicked. Of course. The dark eyes, the fluctuating attitude, the persona on stage. "...a darker side of yourself..." he mumbled softly, repeating what Edward said during his job interview. "I see...it makes sense..." the man looked up at him. "...So, I'm guessing that you aren't Edward?"

“You’d be guessing, correctly.” The man replied, a smirk on his face as he pulled him closer to his chest.

Oswald smirked right back. "So which one of you sucks my dick~?", he teased and chuckled.

“I did the first time~” He purred out in response as he leaned in and let his eyes look down at Oswald’s lips, then back to his eyes.

"Hmm...so little Ed trusts me, but not you~? Strange indeed~." Oswald leaned his head up and teased the alternate by letting their noses touch but never their lips.

“Hmmm... correct once again, my little Penguin~” He replied as his smirk grew, knowing the man was trying to tease him.

Oswald felt a laugh hum in his throat before he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to his lover's lips. "And why is that~?"

“I don’t trust anyone, not even Ed.” He spoke simply, bit his lip as he let out a soft laugh. “Call it more of a... personal thing.”

"That seems like a blessing and a curse. Being wary of everyone is an amazing skill, a wise habit if you will...but it prevents you from getting closer to allies. I respect that in a way...but I will give you my full honesty and loyalty as you have given me. Or so I hope." He cocked an eyebrow.

A scoff came out of the man’s mouth as he rolled his eyes and looked away from the man. “Flattery gets you nowhere with me.” He spoke as he looked back at Oswald. “Forgive me if I am weary to give you my loyalty and honesty. I’m not easy to persuade.”

"That's perfectly fine, my friend~." He kissed the side of The Riddler's neck. "I'll just have to work hard and patiently to do just that~." He smiled.

The man hummed a bit in response, an eyebrow raised as he sat back down on the loveseat, Oswald still in his arms. “You’re patience will run out eventually~”

"Perhaps~ but at least I have the other half of you~." Oswald gave him another quick kiss. "Speaking of him, he seemed a little on edge earlier. Is he okay?"

“He felt utterly, humiliated. Defeated.” The man replied with blunt turns as he leaned down and returned a soft kiss onto Oswald’s lips.

Oswald frowned and rubbed Riddler's shoulders. "Can i... May I speak with him? I want to at least comfort him..."

“He doesn’t want to be talked to at the moment.” He spoke through gritted teeth as a soft sigh came out of his lips.

The boss sighed. "Alright..." he leaned against the brunette's tall frame. "Do you still want that car?"

The man nodded as he entangled one of his hands into the man’s hair. “I don’t get why you’re interested in him..”

Oswald smiled to himself just thinking about Edward. "He's intelligent, he's witty, he's...very handsome~, he's talented, confident yet also adorably shy~...he's loyal and trustworthy...he's just...amazing~..." the man turned to the Riddler. "..both of you, I should say."

Riddler blinked at the final sentence of his confession. “Both of us?” He muttered out, unable to really grasp what he just said. “That’s rich..” Riddler felt his heart get a little bit fast, but didn’t know why. He just took in a deep breath and sighed it out.

"Why is it so unbelievable that I care for you? I wasn't aware of Edward's condition, but I still appreciated every part of him. Couldn't that part be you?"

“It could be...” The man spoke slowly, as if trying to process what he was saying out loud. Riddler took a glance at Oswald, then looked away. “I already told you, I’m not easy to persuade...”

"What makes you think I'm trying to persuade you?" The man bat his accented lashes before one of his workers came up to him and informed him the limousine was ready. Oswald nodded and slowly took, balancing himself on his cane before leading Riddler outside.

As the two walked, Riddler pondered the question. He had an answer. But he just didn’t feel like he needed to share it.

When the two sat in the limo, things were quiet. The shorter man simply had a hand over his employer's knee, rubbing slowly and looking up at him.

The taller man met Oswald’s gaze after a while. He didn’t do anything, except stare into the birds beautiful eyes.

With a blush looking over his freckled face, the man slowly leaned up for a deep kiss. His hands travelled across the fabric of his clothes and squeezed softly at his body.

Arms slowly entangled their way around Oswald’s body, hands grabbing at his shirt in an effort to pull the man in even closer.

"Mmh~.", the man moaned and hooked his good leg around the other boy's waist. "If you don't trust me, then why do you do these things with me~?"

“Can’t a man have an attraction towards someone and not have to give an in-depth reason as to why?~” Riddler countered with a smirk as he leaned down and kissed the man’s neck.

"Ah~..." The boss chuckled afterward and felt Ed's hair through his hands. "Do mean to say you have a reason but don't want to say it~?"

“Mmmmm, maybe~” The man replied with a wink as he continued to trace kisses down the man’s neck, purring softly as he felt Oswald’s hands in his hair.

The raven-haired man moaned in Edward's ear, his volume as quiet as a whisper. Having this man pleasure him was truly a blessing.

A hot wave flowed its way down the man’s body when he heard his sweet lovers moan in his ear. Riddler began to bite down on the man’s neck, soft at first, but then he grew a bit more greedy and sunk his teeth more into the flushed skin.

"Oh~...ah-- ahh~!!"  
Oswald was moaning with delight, squeezing hard around Edward's shoulders with his arms. His waist was already quick to jump and grind again the stripper.

The employee groaned softly into his neck, feeling himself starting to get hard as Oswald began to grind his hips against him.

With a small giggle, Oswald looked down and back up into Ed's eyes. "Is that a gun in your pocket or are you just happy to see me~?"

“Why don’t you take a look and find out~?” The man purred back, lips slightly parted as he kissed the man’s forehead.

"With pleasure~" Oswald reached down to grope and rub his erection. "Would you like me to suck away your little problem~?"

“Mmm, that would be lovely, Oswald~” The man spoke with a sultry tone as he licked his lips.

Suddenly the car stopped. "Well, then~. You'll have to find another way when you get home~." The bird pulled away from him as he opened the door, revealing Edward's apartment. "Have a good night, my darling~."

A laugh came out of the man’s throat, as he glared at the shorter man and let a smirk appear onto his lips. “Well played~” He spoke calmly as he stepped out of the car. “You may have won the battle, but I will win the war~!” He spoke flamboyantly, but then leaned back down into the car and kiss the man. “Goodnight, Oswald~.”

He kissed him back and watched him leave. Those swaying hips did wonders for his derriere~. The man closed the door and had Charles drive him to the mansion.

After getting into his apartment, Ed changed into something comfortable and decided to go right to bed, sleep washing over him in seconds.


	20. Meeting With Moretti

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's Go and Meet Moretti

The following morning, Oswald drove himself over to Edward's apartment building and knocked on his door. 

The man was still in bed, limbs sprawled out everywhere. His mouth was slightly open, and snores were audible. When there was a knock on his door, he just stirred in his slumber and muttered, “Come in...”

Oswald opened the surprisingly unlocked door and walked inside to see the most adorable sleeping scientist he'd ever seen. With an amused smiled, his boss limped over and sat beside him on the bed. "Wake up, darling~." He kissed his cheek and rubbed his shoulder. "You and I are going to speak with Moretti."

“Do I get to kill him...?” The man asked, a hopeful tone in his otherwise tired voice. He stirred a bit more, and let his eyes open halfway.

"No, you will not kill him." The Penguin kissed his forehead and pulled him closer. "He, Maroni, and I will talk, you'll most likely receive reparations, and I'm certain Moretti will get some sort of punishment."

I’m not just going to go in and stand as a pretty face... I’m going to make someone pay, I don’t care who...  
“Alright. Fine. Fine.” He grunted our as he sat up and leaned his head on the man’s shoulder. “I’ll need a few minutes to get dressed...”

"Would you like it if I helped~?", he asked, petting Edward's hair and kissing that sweet face of his.

“I’ve got it.” He then stood up and walked over to his closet to grab something nice to wear. “I apologize for not being ready right when you got here. I was unaware of what time you’d be coming...”

"That's perfectly fine. I didn't expect you to be either way."

The man scoffed as he took out a black dress shirt and a matching pair of slacks. “If Moretti says anything to me, I’m gonna kick his face in.” The man joked as he changed into his new clothes.

"You better not~.", he said with the wave of his finger.

“If he provokes me, I will...” He muttered as he began to put on a dark green tie. He turned around and looked at Oswald.

"Mm~." The bird stood up to admire him closer. "You always look so handsome~." His hand reached down to squeeze Edward's behind. "I wish I could have you right here and now~."

The lengthy man reached out and grabbed the man’s chin. “Patience, Penguin~ let’s leave the activities for later, hm~?” He purred out as he took back his hand and finished tying his tie.

"But you're so beautiful~." He kissed his cheek and felt up his ass a bit more.

“Flattery gets you nowhere with me, darling.” He spoke calmly as he flashed the man a smile and went back to the closet to grab an overcoat.

"Is it flattery when it's the truth~?" He smiled and pulled away from the boy.

“I’d hope it would be, otherwise you’d just be lying to get into my pants~” The man turned around, and smirked at Oswald. He then walked past him and put his shoes on.

"Most certainly not.", he assured. "Now, we must get going, my friend."  
The Penguin opened his apartment door and walked down the stairs back to his car. He and Ed had a bit of a heated session in the backseat, before both smoothed out their outfits and stepped outside of his expensive vehicle. They'd arrived at a local italian restaurant to speak with Sal Maroni.  
The moment Oswald walked in, the mob boss was already waving him over. With two empty seats, Penguin took the one directly across from Sal. Moretti and Maroni were side by side.  
Of course, Moretti noticed Edward and addressed him. "Hello, beautiful. How ya doin'?"

Edward sat down in his seat and had to stop himself from gagging when Moretti addressed him. He smirked and gave the man a wink, and proceeded to put on a show.  
“I’m doing fine now that I’ve been graced with your presence~”  
The man adjusted himself in his seat and looked over at Maroni, then over at Oswald.

Oswald looked at him oddly. Why was he being fake? He's used that tone with Oswald before, was that just all fake? Penguin centered himself as he spoke with Maroni.  
"Sal.", he said sternly. "My employee has a problem with the information Moretti gave to the G.C.P.D."  
"Oh yeah? And what's that? He got thrown in jail for a couple minutes before you got to bail him out easy?"  
"No, it's not just that. You see, Riddler works at the G.C.P.D. as a forensic scientist. When Moretti gave the cops that information, he was unmasked and humiliated in front of all his co-workers and his main source of work is at high risk."  
Alfonso shrugged and began to light a cigarette. "How was I s'posed to know that? Look, if he wants to keep his job, that 10 grand can get him anything he wants. I paid more than necessary for him. I don't owe you nothin'."

Edward made sure to take mental notes, and watched attentively as the conversation happened.  
Ten thousand dollars... I would’ve rather kept my dignity and my job then sell out for that money...  
The man took off his glasses as he watched Moretti light his cigarette. His brain was screaming at him to just slam the man’s head into the table. But he didn’t. He just looked back and made ye contact with Maroni.  
“Mr. Maroni. With all due respect, wouldn’t you feel utterly humiliated if something like that happened to you?”  
The man took a quick glance at Alfonso, then back to the mob boss.  
“If one of your men were to disrespect you, what would you do?”

He took a drag of the cigar and puffed it out on the table. What a pig. "Well I can't do nothin' about it! What happened, happened and that's it. I didn't know you were some forensic guy, so it ain't my fault."  
Maroni shrugged and looked to the side. "My guy has a point. The only thing he can do is give money, and your Riddler guy has money already."  
"Sal, this is about respect. I want, at the very least, a sincere apology from Moretti to my employee. After that we can negotiate things further."

Edward just sat back in his chair, put his glasses back on and just decided to not say anything more. It was clear he wasn’t going to be listened to.  
‘You don’t want an apology, do you Edward?’  
Ed took in a deep breath as he internally cringed at how right his other half was.  
‘You want to humiliate him, make him pay for what he did to you~.’  
Edward sighed softly as he fixed his tie and looked over at Oswald.

Moretti sighed and stood up, cigar set on the ashtray for a moment. "Alright. I'm sorry for talkin’ ‘bout our situation and it getting to the cops and I'm sorry you got exposed at your work. If you want anything, come talk with me, we can sort things out together, huh?" He reached his meaty hand over the table for a handshake with Ed.

So he.. bragged about it. So much so, that it got all the way to the cops. That. Sleazy. Son of a bitch...  
Edward looked at the man’s hand. He contemplated for a moment whether he should take it or not.  
He really wanted to put the man out of his misery...  
The man then took Alfonso’s hand and shook it. Grip overtly tight as he made direct eye contact with the beefy individual.  
“I would love a chance to talk things out with you.”  
To someone such as Moretti and Maroni, his tone of voice would seem innocent and sincere, but to someone that knew him better, such as Oswald, the tone meant hidden deadly danger.

The man smiled and sat back down. Maroni smiled as well and looked over at Oswald. "So, does that settle it? You need anything else~?" The man said the final sentence in a more sultry tone that made Oswald's cheeks heat up and brows furrow.  
"No, I'm not in need of anything. Edward? Is everything settled with you?"

Edward looked over to Oswald and saw his cheeks heat up.  
That.  
Was the final.  
Straw...  
“Would I be able to speak to you, Alfonso? Privately~?”  
The man purred out as he crossed his legs and flashed a smile at the man.  
“It wouldn’t take too long, or at least I hope it wouldn’t~”

Oswald caught on immediately and grabbed his arm. "We'll be leaving, then. Come on, Ed." Moretti smiled and stood up again. "Hey, hey, hey. Wait a minute. I wanna hear what he has to say~."

Edward let out a warm chuckle as he gave Alfonso a wink. “I’m afraid we have something else we need to go and take care of that I mindlessly forgot about. We can talk more later, you know where to find me~” The spoke with a wave as he began to walk with Oswald out of the restaurant. “It was a pleasure, fellas~!”

Oswald took him outside and looked furious. "What the hell do you think you're doing? You hate him, why are you acting like that?"

“Would you have rather wanted me to act like I hated their guts and try to cut their throats?” The man countered simply. Eyes dark. “If I would’ve done that, I would’ve gotten the both of us into trouble. I wouldn’t have minded it for myself, but for you I’m not going to disrespect your name.”

"That doesn't mean you couldn't have taken some middle ground instead of acting like a slut. This entire meeting was supposed to be about respect, but when you actively flirt with Moretti, you're mixing signals, and both of them won't take us seriously."

he man froze and gritted his teeth. “Oh? I’m the slut? How about when one of those goons got flirty with you and you blushed like a tomato?” He retorted, tone furious and angry. He grabbed Oswald’s collar and picked him up, looking dead into his eyes. “Don’t call me, a slut. Especially when we wouldn’t be in this situation, if it wasn’t for you pushing me into getting pounded, by that buffoon.” His tone wasn’t loud, or soft. It was normal level, but it was pointed, angry, and down-right menacing. He put the man down, and began to walk away.

Oswald was on his tippy toes, clinging onto Edward's hands as he spat in his face. The moment he was released, the bird stumbled and used his cane to balance himself and limp after Edward. "I've already apologized to you again and again over how I regret pushing you into that. I offered you anything you wanted to make up for that. All of a sudden now you're angry? What more can I do for you? I don't have the power to change the past."

The man stopped In his tracks and let out a frustrated groan. He turned around and glared at Oswald. “That’s what you don’t seem to get.” He began as he took a few steps forward till he was closer to the smaller individual. “I lost my job. I was already treated like garbage there, but I have now lost, all respect that will ever be given to me. Because of that bastard, who bragged about how he fucked a stripper. I don’t want fake apologies and favors. I want him. To suffer the same humiliation, he put me through.” He finished as he rubbed his temples and laughed sadly. “Whether you like it or not, I’m going to do something about this. It’s your choice if you choose to stand in my way, but I will not hesitate to bring you down if you choose to interfere.”

Oswald grabbed his wrist. "I will not risk losing you over whatever you choose to do to that man. As I said before, my strains with the Maroni family are tight and if something happens to his men he will not hesitate to come after me or you."

Edward yanked his wrist away. “Tell me something, Oswald.” He spat as he leaned down to get at his level. “If Maroni and his men did something vile to you, would you just walk in and want an apology?” He asked as he stood back up, waiting to hear the man’s answer.

"No, of course not, but I wouldn't start a war over it. I wouldn't kill their men. The best thing to do is receive respect and reparations for it. There's no other logical action that can be taken."

The man just blinked. He looked down, his facial expression looking defeated as he pushed up his glasses. “Fine.” He spoke softly as he turned around and began to walk away. “I’m going home.” He muttered as he sauntered his way down the street, the sounds of busy town life drowning out his steps. He felt. Used. He felt gross. He knew it may not have been logical to want to go after Alfonso, but he wasn’t stupid. He would’ve found some way to not get caught, make some sort of a plan. He just pushed the thought out of his mind as he made his way to his apartment.

Oswald followed him. "Edward." The brunette just continued to walk. "Edward, wait--" he tried to limp as fast as he could to catch up with the man.

Edward didn’t stop for Oswald, even when he heard him call out for him. He just quickened his pace and soon got to his apartment. With his hand on the door, he opened it, walked inside, then slammed it shut and promptly locked it.

In ten minutes time, Oswald was knocking at his door. "Ed… Eddie, please open the door..." he knocked and knocked and waited for him to answer.   
"...Edward, there's one instance where we could do any kind of harm to Moretti..."

“.......What’s the instance?” The man finally spoke up, voice low as he leaned his back against the door.

"If he involves himself in a rival group and we sabotage his side of the deal, which is usually ammunition or money."

“Hmmm. That sounds promising.” He unlocked the door and opened it, but blocked the entry way with his body.

"It will take months for a plan like that to work. And it will take you to convince him to work with me. And you won't like that."

The man gritted his teeth and leaned on the door frame. “I wouldn’t want anyone to have to work with... that.”

"Exactly. So you have a choice. Would you rather be with and around Moretti for possibly months or just leave the entire situation alone with $10,000 still at your disposal?"

The man just shrugged and stepped away from the door. He didn’t say anything as he sat down on the bed and rubbed his eyes. “Even if I say I’ll leave it alone, I won’t want to leave it alone. It’s not that simple.”

Oswald sighed and closed the door as he walked in. "Look, the most I can do for you is pay to have you keep your job, or have a different place hire you." He kissed the man's cheek and pulled him into a hug. "I'm sorry I did this to you..."

The man looked down at him and frowned. His face just looking sad instead of angry at this point. “It’s fine....”

"You don't look fine, darling..." he rubbed his chest slowly. "You know, a warm bath always relaxes me. Would you want one to make you feel a little better?"

“Sure.” He spoke softly as he leaned into the man’s touch and rested his chin on the man’s shoulder.

Oswald pressed a kiss to his forehead and walked into his bathroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pssst, spoiler alert, there's more angst to come~


	21. The Bath, The Suit, And The Hyena

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> here comes the angst, here comes the angst

He'd never been inside his new lover’s bathroom before, so the man felt a bit clumsy getting things to work.

Edward heard the commotion going on in the bathroom and sat up. “D-Do you need any help?”

"N-No, I'm perfectly fine on my own!", he said with a shaking voice. Finally, the water came on and Oswald exited the bathroom while the hot water ran. "Would you mind coming in to undress?"

Edward nodded, a soft blush coming to his face as he stood up and walked past Oswald and into the bathroom. “T-Thanks. For running the bath..” He mumbled softly, a smile on his face as he began to unbutton his shirt.

Oswald gifted him with a smile. "No problem, my friend." The man raised his hands to help him out of the shirt and tie.

With the help of Oswald, Edward got his shirt and tie off with ease, now his bare chest being exposed for the man.

He smiled and slowly undid the man's belt. "I wish I could just put you on display~."

“Wouldn’t you just get jealous at all the attention I’d be getting?” Oswald’s stripper joked as he watched Oswald take his belt out of his pants.

"Perhaps~, but I'd still have you all to myself~." The bird unbuttoned his trousers and lowered them.

“Are you sure about that~?” He teased as he took off his glasses, and put them on the sink.

"Why are you so doubtful~?", he smiled and kissed his shoulder, now removing his boxers.

“Mmm, because you never know how things can go, my little bird~” Edward kissed the man on the forehead, and gave him a sly smirk.

He hummed and brushed the other's soft hair. "Get in the bath, my friend. I'll take care of you this afternoon."

The man nodded, and made his way over to the bath. He slowly got in, letting out a breath as the hot water encompassed his body.

Oswald smiled and walked into Edward's main room. He retrieved a pillow and set it on the ground before resting on both of his knees. His employer took a sponge and dipped it in the water before running it over Ed's perfect skin. It reminded him of what his own mother would do as she bathed him.

Ed leaned back into the tub, closing his eyes as he relaxed under the man’s touch. “You’re too good to me...” He muttered as he dipped his nose under the water and gave Oswald a dorky-yet sweet look.

Oswald chuckled. "How could I not be, darling?" The man tilted his chin up and gave him a kiss. "You've done remarkable work for me and my business. I feel that it's only fair that I repay you in any way I can~.”

The man’s cheeks turned bright red as he averted his eyes down. “I’m only just doing my job. Nothing but the best, for Mr. Penguin..~”

He washed his body some more and smiled softly. "You know, we could always sell calendars or posters of you on them~.", he smiled. "I'd love to have a picture of you hanging up on my wall~."

“I don’t think I’d be too comfortable with modeling.. I don’t have that kind of confidence...” The man mumbled with a shy smile as he looked up and into Oswald’s eyes.

"But you have the confidence to strip on a pole in front of strangers?" Oswald chuckled and pet his hair with a wet hand. "Nonsense. You'd look beautiful~."

“I don’t do most of the flamboyant things.. that’s all... his, work.” The man spoke with a roll of his eyes as he sat up in the tub.

"Oh, so you're the 'real' Edward, now? What does he think about it?"

Edward shrugged his shoulders and let out a soft chuckle. “Why don’t you ask him?”

"Well...I don't really know how to ask him..."

‘I can hear everything.’   
Edward looked over Oswald’s shoulder and saw the man. He was fully clothed, unlike the boy who was currently in the tub.  
‘Wouldn’t it be bad with too much publicity? The GCPD already knows who we are, this might send it over the edge. People could talk...’  
The man leaned his back against the wall and let out a sigh.  
‘But it would be nice to see my picture everywhere~.’  
Edward cleared his throat, and rested his arm on the side of the tub.  
“He’s intrigued.”

"Is he? I could whip up a contract for him to sign and have him make most of the adjustments."

Edward squinted his eyes and rubbed his temples. He then pinched the bridge of his nose, face contorted in a look of pain for a brief moment.  
“You just really want photos of me to jerk off to, don’t you~?”  
The man brought his hand away from his face and looked over at Oswald, eyes dark and half lidded, smirk on his face.

"It's more than that. This is a business opportunity.", he replied with a smile, knowing that Edward had made the shift in personalities. "As always, you would be getting a cut of the profits, more people will come to the show, and you will be admired. Respected, even."

His eyes lit up softly at the mention of respect. His smirk grew larger as he leaned over the tub, face close to Oswald’s. “Mmm.. tempting~.”

"You could be the face of my club~. Imagine you on posters, advertised as the star of the show. Performing exclusive shows for those who pay. Selling merchandise and receiving fame and affection~. And I'll give you anything you want~."

“Anything~?” The man questioned, eyebrows raised as he reached out and took Oswald’s chin into his hand. “That’s quite an offer, Oswald~”

"Anything has always been on the table, darling~." He purred and pressed a kiss into his lovely lips.

“Then why am I only hearing about this now~?” The man replied, his words smooth like velvet.

"You must not have been paying attention~." Oswald panted another sweet kiss. "You said you'd do anything for me, so I will most certainly to anything--", a second kiss. "--for--" a third. "--you~."

“Mmmm~. Lovely to hear, Mr. Penguin~.” The man purred out, sly smile on his face as he leaned in and pressed a nice long, soft kiss onto the man’s lips.

Oswald smiled and was most certainly glad to return it. "So, have we made an agreement?"

The man let out a soft chuckle as he ran his damp hand through Oswald’s dark hair. “Let me think on it, mm~?”

"Whatever you wish~." Oswald's head reached down to nibble at the brunette's long neck.

“Mmmmm.~ Oswald~?” The man moaned out softly, the same sly smile on his face as he wrapped his hands around Oswald’s neck. “You’re going to end up falling in, if you aren’t careful~.”

"If you pull me in, you're dead. My clothes aren't cheap, you know." He put his hand own and balanced himself against the wall, still making out and kissing all over Ed's wet skin.

“Mmm, I think you need, to loosen up a bit...” The man whispered against Oswald’s neck as then grabbed the hand he was using to balance himself, causing him to loose his steadiness, and fall headfirst into his chest. Water splashed everywhere, instantly soaking the Penguin to the bone. Riddler began to laugh, hard. He didn’t think the man would fall in so easily.  
“Whoops~!”

The Penguin gasped and struggled heavily to escape from the tub without causing pain to his leg. He looked absolutely furious, but he refused the glare at Ed. With an incredibly heavy sigh, the drenched man picked up his cane and walked outside of the bathroom, dripping as he carefully waddled.  
Once out in the main room, Oswald called for his driver to pick up a brand new entire outfit and bring it to Edward's home. With gel.

Meanwhile, the man was still laughing up a storm, thinking what he did was absolutely hilarious. After a while, his laughter did die down, and he got out of the tub. While Oswald was on the phone, He dried himself off, and drained the bath. Edward threw on a robe, as he cleaned up the water that got everywhere, humming softly as he did so. Once he finished cleaning up the bathroom, the man walked outside into the main area and had to hold in a laugh.

 

While waiting for his brand new outfit, the boss paced around, causing more water to drip all over the room-- by intention or not.

“Aw. Oswald. You got the entire place wet!”  
He spoke as if he was scolding a child as he walked over to his dresser to grab some extra towels.

The man mutter something under his breath, refusing to stop his angry pacing. Why was Charles taking so long??

Edward turned around, towel in hand and approached Oswald from behind. Before the man could notice, Ed wrapped himself into the towel, and took him into his arms.  
“You must be cold, let me warm you up~.”

Oswald grunted and pulled harshly away from Edward, and he quickly made an effort to turn right around and continue angrily pacing.  
Finally, a knock on the door came and Oswald answered immediately. The man took the box Charles held in his nervous little hands and shut the door right after. He waddled back to the bathroom with said box and shut the door to change.

Edward crossed his arms, and just watched the man with a raised eyebrow along with an amused smile.  
“Oswald.”  
He spoke as he watched him make his way back into the bathroom. Still getting no answer, the man just chuckled and brushed it off.  
Without even realizing, it was already starting to get pretty dark outside. Time must’ve already gone by fast since they got to Ed’s apartment earlier. The man just shrugged and went into the kitchen, getting something to drink.

A full twenty minutes passed and Oswald was in a brand new pin-stripe suit with the box still in hand. His drenched clothes were most likely still in there. His hair changed as well, definitely gelled to look much more intimidating. The bird set the box on his bedside table and sat firmly still.

Meanwhile, Edward was watching silently from the kitchen. Seeing how firm and angered the man still looked. It was as if there were fumes coming off of him. After a minute, he made his way over to the bed, and stood a few feet away, observing the man carefully.

With crossed arms, he looked over to Edward and glared. What could this hyena want now?

The man gulped a bit, slightly intimidated by how angry he looked. He had the idea of just backing away so he wouldn’t get his head pulled off. But he opted for something bold instead. Quickly, the man approached him and kneeled down at his feet, he bowed his head and closed his eyes.  
“I’m sorry.”

Oswald liked the image of him on his knees, but he was still angry. The boss simply huffed and looked away.

Edward peeked up, and saw the man looking away. He frowned, and let out a soft sigh. “Don’t look away from me...” He muttered under his breath as he put his head back down.

Oswald whipped his head back. "What was that?", he inquired with an accusatory tone.

Edward gulped, he peeked up, eyes big. “I-I didn’t say anything..”

"Liar, I heard you mumble. What did you say?" His tone was bellowing, filled with anger and paternal rage.

The man looked back down, embarrassment filling his face in the form of a blush. “I-I said. Don’t look away from me..” He spoke, bowing his head once more, intimidated by how angry the man had gotten.

He scoffed. "I'll do whatever I please. And I most definitely won't comply for you, especially after what you did to my favourite suit!"

“I wouldn’t expect you to comply, sir.” The man spoke, tone a little shaken, but not as meek as it was previously. He kept his head down though, and stayed on the floor, kneeling in front of Oswald.

"Good." The man sighed heavily and stood up, grabbing the box. "I'm going to call Charles. Goodnight, Ed." He limped towards the door.

“Goodnight.” The man mustered out, still on the ground as he kept himself from saying anything else. He just stood up, and walked past Oswald, a grim look masking his face.

The man exited coldly and called his driver to take him home. That night the club was closed, but Edward was free to come back on Tuesday.

Edward spent the next few days sulking. He felt like an idiot. The day he was supposed to come in, he was still in bed, sleeping. Unaware that he had to go in that night.

Oswald saw that he was late and called one of his lackeys to check up on him at home. There was no way he was letting him skip work unless something super serious happened.

Meanwhile, Edward was still sleeping. Snoring softly, as more time was beginning to go by. Unaware of him being late.

The man knocked at the stripper's door. "Mr. Nygma?", he projected and knocked again. "Mr. Cobblepot is requesting to see you at work."

Nygma groaned in his sleep at the knock. He couldn’t really make out the words the man outside said, but after a second his brain made sense of it in his half-asleep state. His eyes shot open, and he immediately jumped out of bed. He cursed audibly to himself, as he rushed and began to put on some decent clothes. “Cmon, Edward!” The man groaned to himself as he quickly put on his shoes and a large flannel overcoat, and swung open the door.  
“My apologies. We should get going, wouldn’t want to anger Cobblepot, further.” He spoke in a rush as he walked past the lackey and made his way out of the building.

The worker had gotten here through a limousine paid for by Oswald and directed Edward to it. They rode to the bird's club and entered through the back way. The moment he walked in, Oswald was already furious with him. "Where the hell were you?! Performances have just begun and I was this close to informing the guests you wouldn't be here!", the man hissed.

“S-Sorry. I overslept. Might’ve also completely slipped my mind that I was working today.” The man spoke with an honest, blunt tone. His face clouded with a look of embarrassment and shame as he pushed up his glasses.

Oswald grunted and began to walk away. "Get dressed and think about your routine. Quickly." The Penguin limped towards the main building and up to his balcony seat. Zsasz spoke with him and lectured him about his temper.

Edward nodded and quickly made his way backstage. He made a quick change into his outfit and waited anxiously for his turn. He was just going to wing what he was going to do tonight, and hoped it would pay off.

Oswald Cobblepot sat in his seat, drumming his fingers against the railing and venting quietly to Zsasz.  
"I tell him not to, and he does it anyway. Just pulls me right into the bath and ruining my favourite suit. Now I have to pay for dry cleaning and extra shit I don't have time for. My favourite suit."  
"...you took a bath with him?"  
"I did not take a bath with him, I gave him a bath because he was stressed out and sad. I have an obligation to tend to his needs after what I put him through..."  
"But not now?"  
"Well, now he pissed me off. I'll cool down later, after my suit is finally dry."

Edward watched backstage, stressed, angered, and sad at how Oswald was treating him...  
It wasn’t even his doing!  
‘Mmmm, Penguin still steaming~?’  
“No thanks to you, and your, ‘brilliant’ plan.”  
Edward scowled and just huffed, he rubbed his temples and let out a sigh.  
‘Don’t worry, I’ll do a performance that’ll make everyone feel better~’  
“No.”  
Edwards hallucination looked up at him, blinked in confusion and gave a crazy smile.  
‘I beg your pardon?’  
Edward only returned the look, serious face and determined eyes.  
“You heard me right. I’m performing tonight.”


	22. Eddie's First Show

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> nsfw stuff ahead~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this is the final extra long chapter

"Why don't you just be nice to him. Maybe it was an accident?"  
"If it was, he just laughed and said sorry after I changed into a new suit. He begged like a dog, too. Pathetic."  
"Doesn't that show he was sorry for it?"  
Oswald pondered and suddenly realized Edward had apologized and not the ego he'd conversed with earlier. "You… may have a point..." he turned to Zsasz. "Request for him to come into my office after shows are done."

As Edward was preparing himself, he could still see his alter gawking at him. Mouth agape, jaw seemingly trying to drop to the floor.  
‘You’re not serious, are you? Because if so you’re being ridiculous-‘  
“I’m dead serious.” Edward spoke calmly as he shot the man a glare that could kill. “You’re always getting me into trouble, but no. Not this time. I have the upper hand.”  
‘Oh is that so~?’  
“Yes. I don’t need your help. Stay out of my way.”

"And coming up, our final performance-- The Riddler!", the announcer happily informed the audience. Many patrons clapped and whistled, excited for the new show.

At the announcement, Edward smirked and looked over to see the vision gone, much to his surprise. It made Edward feel just as good, if not better than he was already feeling.  
No more distractions, finally.  
The man walked out onto the stage, and instead of having an aura of cocky-number one performer, he presented himself with absolute grace. The new air was one of confidence, yes, but also one of vulnerability and nothing cheesy and overplayed.  
Edward bowed, as Riddler normally would, and gave a smile to the audience.  
Reacting to how genuine it seemed, some ladies cheered and whistled at how charming this was.  
Without another second going by, the lengthy performer made his way over to the piano and sat down, and began to play.

Oswald observed the new behavior and found it refreshing to see such grace and charm emanating from him. It was nearly just as attractive as his cocky, confident persona. Could this be Ed?

“How glad the many millions of Annabelles and Lillians would be, to capture me~”  
The man began to sing, smiling softly to himself as he played the lovely jazz tune with ease.  
“But you had such persistence, you wore down my resistance,  
I fell and it was swell~”  
Though it was Edward preforming, a bit of his own darker side began to show its roots as he had a very seductive look on his face.  
“I’m your big and brave and handsome Romeo, how I won you I shall never know~”  
Edward looked out into the audience, a blush on his face, as a small curl of his hair fell over his right eye.  
“It’s not that you’re attractive, but oh, my heart gee active, when you came into view~”  
Edward looked up into the balcony, biting his lip softly as he began to go into the chorus.  
“I’ve got a crush on you~”

Oswald blushed heavily and turned away nervously. That song--that voice--that little curl on his forehead-- it was all too cute!!!!!

Edward continued to play, his body feeling hot as he did so.  
Was it like this whenever Riddler preformed?  
He just let the thought go as soon as it came to his mind, and continued to preform the song, feeling more confidence drip into him as he went on.  
The song came to its climax, and Edward stood up, he bowed to the audience and smiled.

The audience cheered for him heavily, including Oswald, who gave him an encouraging clap. One woman from the audience threw a fresh bouquet of coloured daisies and shouted. "I love you, Riddler!"

Edward saw the bouquet as it landed right at his feet, he reached down and grabbed it, smirking softly. He looked to the woman who threw it and gave her a soft chuckle.  
“Thank you, darling~’”

Oswald chuckled at the cute little scene and continued to watch his employee. What would be this adorable man's next performance?

The man went over to the piano and put the flowers down, making sure they wouldn’t get stepped on when he started his routine. Edward returned to the center of the stage and smirked to himself as the lights dimmed, per his last minute request, and the light glowed a dim emerald green. Then, the music began to play.

Oswald noticed the lights and smiled at the man's quickness to improvise. "He's so innovative~.", the bird praised.  
"Didn't you just complain about him--?"  
"Shh! He's about to start!"

Once the music began, Edward looked up and out into the audience, his facial expression changing from cute and charming, to something a lot more alluring~  
The music that was playing, was a new jazz instrumental piece he had found, and he began to move softly to the slow rhythm.

Oswald paid extra attention to this part of his show, leaning over the edge of his seat just to get a better look at his darling.

The man began his routine, by turning his back to the audience and peeking out over his shoulder. He looked out at the audience with a face that just dripped in sex appeal, as he shrugged off his green overcoat.  
Edward spun around on his heel slowly, more curls falling into his face as he let out a low hum. He began to unbutton his shirt, tauntingly slow.

Damn, those curls were so cute~. The audience reacted audibly to his little strip tease, enjoying the slow burn of erotica.

The light reflected off of the man’s body perfectly, making his skin glow beautifully underneath it. He felt his face get hot as he finished unbuttoning the shirt and letting it slip to the floor, kicking it back as his eyelashes fluttered.

As always, Oswald and the audience admired him. The crowd whistled and threw dollar bills his way, encouraging to get on with his usually unique and erotic show.

With Edward being the one In control, he could start to see the impatience lingering in some. He took initiative, and in one swift movement, he unbuckled his belt and slid it out, with ease. His pants began to slide down his hips, and with the belt still in his hand, he looked at the audience and gave an animalistic growl and cracked the belt hard.

The audience responded positively to this change. The Penguin was rather intrigued to where this could go~. The bird-like man was already biting his lip as he waited in anticipation. Come on, Edward! Don't tease the man!!

After the reaction he got, the man kept the belt in his hands as he began to unbutton his pants, they still slowly did as he worked on them slowly. Once he was down, the pants slowly slid down his thighs, showing off his-  
Bare.  
Ass.  
Looks like he didn’t have time to put on any decent underwear~  
Edward turned his head to look at the audience over his shoulder, he peaked down to grab a look at himself from behind and bit his lip as if it was out of embarrassment. But he smirked deviously after a moment, and took his free hand and slid it down his backside, slowly reaching its way towards his curvaceous ass.

The crowd was going wild, just like Oswald's boner. The man had to put a hand over his lap and ask for an ice pack right after Edward showed off that thicc ass of his.

The song was about to come to its climax, and Edward had one final thing he wanted to do. As his hand reached down further and further, the minute he got to his bare naked ass, he grabbed it and let out a groan for the audience, then promptly smacked it, hard, right as the song came to an end and the lights faded out.

Oswald felt painfully hard and was so glad Zsasz had gone down to request Edward in his office. The bird sat at his desk and impatiently waited for the cute brunette.

After taking some time to clean up and get dressed, Edward headed down to the man’s office. He didn’t know what kind of mood the man would be in, and he braced himself as he knocked on the door.

"Come in, friend.", he greeted in a wholesome manner. This was quite the contrast. What had happened?  
The moment Edward walked in, Oswald had a cute little smile on his face, along with a heavy blush across his freckled face. "I wanted to congratulate you on your performance, though I feel that there could be a little more to it. And...I wanted to apologize for being incredibly stubborn and angry towards you. I'm very sorry, Ed."

The stripper blinked for a second. Stunned at the words that came out of his mouth. His cheeks turned red and he looked away out of nervousness. “It’s alright.” He spoke simply as he looked back up and made direct eye contact with Oswald.

"No, it isn't. It's petty and childish to get mad for a ruined suit. I shouldn't have done that."

“No, it’s a justifiable reason for someone to get mad over something like that. It was rude that I did something even though you told me not to..” Here Edward was, taking the blame for something he didn’t do, but he didn’t care. He didn’t think the other man would apologize sincerely.

"Was it you?", he asked. "Or was it-- I don't know what to call him. The other one."

“It was the other one.” Edward said rather quickly, tone dark as he averted his eyes to the floor.

"Then why are you apologizing for him. It isn't your fault." He fixed himself in the seat, ice pack resting on his hard crotch.

“I don’t think he would ever apologize, not in a million years.” The man spoke with a sarcastic chuckle as he looked back up and saw the man fidgeting in his seat.

"Well, then I appreciate your effort. I believe that you and I may continue on good terms.", Oswald smiled. "You're free to leave."

The man smiled in return and dipped his head in a small bow. He was about to say something when he heard a faint chuckle.  
‘Ed, he has ice on his lap~’  
Edward immediately went bright red and took a stumbled step back, not watching, he hit the leg of the chair and fell into the seat, the back of his head hitting the frame.

Oswald hesitated to stand. "A-Are you alright? You aren't hurt, are you?", he asked worriedly.

The man groaned, sitting up slowly, rubbing the back of their head as they looked over to Oswald and immediately noticed the tent in his pants. He looked at it, then looked up at Oswald’s face.  
“Y-Yea. I’m fine.”

 

Oswald looked down and quickly covered the front of his trousers while clearing his throat. "That's good. A-As I said, you're free to leave..."

The man blushed softly, heart beginning to beat faster than normal as he felt his head start to ring  
Not now...  
A soft grunt came out of the lengthy dancers throat, as he reached his hands up and rubbed his temples, holding his head in his hands for a moment. After a bit, the man looked up slowly at Oswald, eyes dark, and a calm expression encompassing his face.  
“Do you want me to go, Mr. Penguin?”  
The man stood up slowly, pushing his glasses up as he looked into Oswald’s eyes.

"I said you're free to leave.", he informed the ego. "I have no objection if you wish to stay."

“Then I’d like to stay.” He spoke calmly, no hint of slyness in his face or body as he walked around the desk slowly and over to Oswald. “I want to take this moment I have, to apologize...”

"You've already apologized, my friend.", he replied with the cock of his eyebrow.

“That was Edwards apology.” The man spoke firmly as he put his hands on the desk and leaned closer to Oswald.

Oswald suddenly felt nervous. "Then, by all means go ahead. Although, I'm certain Edward said you'd never apologize..."

“That’s where he was...” The man began as he took a few more steps, and was right in front of the man.  
“Wrong.”  
The alter then leaned in, and kissed the man softly on the lips, bringing his hand up to the back of Oswald’s head as he did so.

"Mph~." He closed his eyes and happily leaned into a kiss. "Wh-What was that for~?"

“It’s my way of apologizing.” The man replied smoothly as he caressed Oswald’s cheek. “You do look insanely attractive when you’re angry though...” He commented, his voice low, almost gruff on his fry tone.

"Do I?" He smiled. "I find that almost flattering."

The man chuckled softly, and wrapped his arms around Oswald’s waist to pull him in. “But you always look beautiful, regardless~.”

Oswald felt incredibly nervous, and made an effort to cover his crotch even more. "Thank you...um..." what was he to call him?

He smirked softly, noticing what Oswald was trying to do. “You look tense...~” He purred softly. “I’m only trying to apologize, now games here.~”

The man let out a small whine. That voice was not helping his situation. "I certainly hope that is the case."

“Mmmm, did you like the performance that much~?” He asked, an eyebrow raised. “He definitely surprised me...~”

"He? So it was Ed..." Oswald nervously shifted the chair so his bottom half was more hidden under the desk.

“Mmmhmmm. He was very. Insistent on preforming.” He spoke dismissively, looking down on the bird from where he was standing. “He really has taken a fondness towards you....”

A blush bloomed on his cheeks. "I'm glad to hear that. I feel the same towards you both."

This was Riddler’s turn to let a blush bloom over his face. He quickly looked away and tried to play it off. “Isn’t that sweet~?”

Oswald smiled and used this to his advantage. "But of course. I can appreciate Edward's adorable and genuine behavior as well as your cocky and charming attitude. I just love it when I see you on stage, looking so theatrical and rightfully proud."

The man gulped, as he fidgeted with his glasses. “F-Flattery will get you no where with me, you don’t have to lie for my sake...”

"Who said I was lying? ...Are you getting shy on me~?", Oswald smiled wickedly.

“Never.” The man retorted as he whipped his head around, still a blush on his cheeks but he smirked his best nonetheless.

"Prove it then, my lovely Riddler~." He smiled and looked the man up and down.

“What do you want~?” The man challenged, an eyebrow raised as he noticed the man looking him up and down.

"Perhaps you could aid me with my issue~. But maybe you should lock the door~.”

A chuckle came out of the man’s throat as he sauntered away from the desk and towards the door. “What exactly do I get in return for helping you~?”

"Anything your heart desires~.", he replied with a smile and began to unbuckled his pants. "I've seen Edward's show, now I want to see yours~."

“Mmmm, missed my show that much~?” The door clicked as it locked and the man turned around, licking his lips as he looked the man up and down. “I’ll give you a show, Mr. Penguin~”

"Do you need music?", he asked, pulling out a small gramophone. He always liked to listen to music while he worked. At least, while he was alone with few disturbances.

A small laugh came out of the dancers mouth as he looked at the gramophone. “Only if you pick the music for me~.”

Oswald opened a drawer and flipped through some of his records. "How about this one? I find it to be quite romantic~." After placing the vinyl record onto the device, "Til There Was You" began to play.

Once the words began, the man visibly stiffened where he stood. He recognized it now, and it brought back the memory. He shook his head and looked back down at Oswald. Determination flooded his face now, determined to forget the past, and be in the moment.  
There were bells on a hill  
But I never heard them ringing  
No, I never heard them at all  
Till there was you~  
The man took his hat off, and placed it on Oswald’s desk.  
“There were birds in the sky, but I never saw them winging, no I never saw them, till there was you~”

Beautiful. An absolutely gorgeous figure of a man.  
"I was hoping you'd do a little more than strip, darling~.", he smiled towards him and licked his lips.

Catching on, the man let out a soft chuckle. He then came around the desk, and got down on his knees in front of Oswald. “And what is it you want me to do~?” He asked with fake innocence, looking up at the man with a smirk.

The man visibly turned red and his boner twitched. "I was hoping to have you in my lap~."

At those words, Riddler felt his pants grow tight and he got a little bit red as well. He stood up slowly, then began to position himself to sit on Oswald’s lap, making sure not to hurt his leg.

Oswald's hands were on his body, groping hips and ass and hair before crashing Ed's beautiful pink lips into his own. The Penguin moaned in his kiss, music playing faintly in his mind as he focused on grinding up against his head stripper.

Wrapping his hands up into Oswald’s hair, the man ground his hips onto his employer, and groaned softly into the kiss as he did so, his mind swimming in an ocean of bliss this entire time.

The Penguin thrust his hips up and panted while pleasuring himself against Edward. The friction was just enough to feel relieving~. "You're so fucking gorgeous~." The song ended and switched to a new one on the record, still romantic and jazzy.

“You’re fucking beautiful~” The man panted back, groaning softly as the friction grew more intense.

His boss slowed his grinding and reached down for Edward's belt. The second after unbuckling it and pulling it from the loops, Oswald's hand was down his pants and on his bare ass.

Riddler took in a sharp breath of air, closing his eyes and arching his back slightly. “Mmm~ eager, are we~?”

"You're just so attractive~." The breathless employer pulled down the stripped pants to his knees and continued to play with his large ass.

A soft moan fell out of the strippers lips as his body began to feel hotter and hotter by the second. “I’m flattered~.”

His fingers softly rubbed against the entrance of his hole, circling slowly while biting his neck.

“O-Oswald-!” The man suddenly gasped out, gripping onto the employees back tightly, some fear flowing through his veins, a bit traumatized from the last time something like this happened.

The man suddenly realized that he needed a bit of lube for this. Oswald brought his fingers to his lips and slowly began to suck on them. Once they were properly lubricated, the man returned to Edward's puckered entrance and pressed softly and slowly.

Edward just simply closed his eyes and hugged onto Oswald for dear life, biting his tongue so no sound would come out.

His single digit slipped inside, much smaller and thinner than Moretti's meaty fingers. "Is this alright?", he asked his lover with barely an inch of it inside him.

The man let out a soft sigh, releasing some of his pent up stress. “Y-Yea, it’s fine.” The man responded softly.

Oswald smiled and slowly thrust inside him, fingering his little hole with a single digit and watching that cute little face of his twitch with pleasure.

Edward clenched onto the man’s shoulders, and rested his forehead on Oswald’s head. He bit his lip softly, as his eyelashes fluttered.

Oswald loved this. He finger-fucked Edward a bit harder and faster, paying attention to every little spot he pushed and pressed and rubbed against.

“Q-Quit teasing me- damnit-!” The man stuttered out harshly as he pressed into Oswald a bit more.

With a big smiled at Edward's begging, he slipped a second finger in and continued.

“F-Fucking hell...” The man panted out, his breathing becoming harsh as he ground onto Oswald’s fingers.

"Feeling good, darling~?", he practically teased and thrust the two fingers deeper inside of him.

“You’re having-! W-way too much-! F-Fun watching this-! Aren’t y-you?” Riddler stuttered out softly as he opened his eyes and looked down at Oswald.

"You make a good show to watch~." Oswald slowly slipped in a third and fucked him faster. "Tell me you love it~."

The man finally caught eye contact with Oswald, Edward’s eyes were dark and half lidded. “You can’t tell me-! What to do~.” He managed to purr in response, but he bit his lip to suppress a moan.

Oswald thrust his fingers in deeper and hit his sweet spot. Jackpot~ "What was that, sweetling~?"

Ed’s body tensed, his back arched slightly as he let out a loud groan. He looked down and into Oswald’s eyes, his facial expression hungry as he grabbed the collar of the man’s shirt and pulled him in close. “D-Do it again.~”

Oswald pushed his hand back inside to practically massage that spot of his. All the while, his boss pulled him into an open-mouth kiss.

Edward moaned loudly into the man’s mouth, gripping onto his collar even harder, feeling as if his body was just about to burst.

"Tell me you love it~." He demanded and continued thrusting, both with his fingers and his hips below.

The man’s cock twitched, his hands were still grabbed onto Oswald’s collar so he could look into the man’s eyes. “K-Keep going-! Nnnnggh~!”

He stopped finger-fucking him with a smirk. "Not until you do as I say~."

Edward let out a shaky breath as the man stopped. “O-Oswald, please~” He closed his eyes, and felt his face grow hot.

The employer clicked his tongue and slowly pulled his fingers out. "That's not what I asked for."

An audible growl came erupting from his throat suddenly as he tightened his grip around Oswald’s collar and leaned his face down, forehead touching his employers.  
“Please keep going, I fucking love it so much, it’s insane, Oswald~”

"There's my good boy~." He slowly slipped his fingers back inside one by one. "Tell me where you're going to cum, because it most certainly won't be on my suit."

“Because God forbid it gets on the suit.” The man joked with a roll of his eyes, sly smirk on his face as he let out a soft sigh.

"You haven't answered my question~." He smirked. "Decide or I'll have to decide for you."

“Decide for me.~” The man challenged, a hunger in his eye as he bit his lip.

He smirked. In one large swoop, Oswald turned Edward around and pinned him against the desk. Oswald fucked his tight hole with his fingers as he reached around with his left hand to stroke his lover. "Cum on the floor like the messy boy I know you are~."

Edwards hands gripped the table harshly as he let out a mixture of moans and groans, his body on fire with all the pleasure. “F-Fuck, O-Oswald~nnng-!”

The Penguin ensued the pleasure, even humping against that lovely and rounded ass of Ed's. "You like that, darling~? Do you love it when I fuck you mercilessly~?"

Riddler tried to hold back from saying anything, but words and sounds were now just free-flowing from his mouth. “I f-fucking love it-!~” The man groaned as he put his head down on the desk, panting harshly as he bit his lip.

His boss smiled at his vulnerability. "Tell me you're mine~.", he ordered.

“Nnghh~!” The man moaned out, eyes shutting as he gripped even harder onto the table. “O-Oswald~! I t-think I’m going t-to-mmmphh~!” The man moaned out as he bit his tongue to keep him from saying anything further.

Oswald stopped all of his movement. "You won't be doing anything until you tell me that you're mine~."

Edward let out a loud shaky breath, his eyes slowly opened, and he looked up at Oswald, hunger in his eyes. “You own me, Mr. Penguin~.” He growled out seductively, then bit his lip. “Please, let me cum~.”

Oswald slapped the man's fat ass before taking out his own cock from under Edward. While stroking the brunette's erection, he was rubbing his own against the man's behind.

Edward panted, head down on the table as he felt the man’s cock underneath him. He blushed harshly, and bit his tongue.

Oswald kissed his shoulder blades and panted softly in his ear. "You feel so good~."

Edward hummed softly in response, his blush intensifying as he heard the man pant into his ears.

"Cum for me, darling~?", he asked, still stroking the green man's cock while dry humping his ass. He was close to climaxing himself.

Edward let out a shaky moan at those words, he gripped even harder onto the table and snapped his eyes shut. “O-Oswald-!” The man finally couldn’t hold it back anymore, he climaxed harshly, groaning out as he released his clenched fists and planted heavily.

"Oh, fuck~!" Hearing that moan brought him closer to the edge. In just a minute's time, Oswald released a load just under Ed and in between his legs. After a moment of calming down, he pulled away and supported Edward in his arms. "Are you alright, precious?"

“Y-Yea, I’m alright.” He breathed out shakily, his body still hot and trying to cool down as he leaned back so that Oswald could support him.

Oswald sat back into his chair and fixed up his pants before patting his own lap. "Come and rest. Poor thing~."

Edward slowly moved off the table and pulled up his own pants, zipping and buttoning them, then promptly going over to Oswald and slowly sitting down on his lap, making sure not to get on his bad leg.

Oswald held him by the ass and smiled up at him lovingly. "I..." he noticeably paused and blushed. "I-I think you were amazing~."

Edward smiled down at him lovingly in return, wrapping an arm around his torso, and placing his free hand underneath the man’s chin. He was about so say something, but blushed and and averted his gaze from Oswald. “You flatter me, too much~.”

"I'm only stating the facts~." Oswald kissed Edward and hugged him closely while in his large, leather chair. The minutes passed by, and Oswald finally lifted his head. "Will you be going home, tonight?"

“I want to stay with you...” The man spoke honestly, arms draped onto Oswald’s shoulders, eyes looking directly into his.

"All night?", he asked, rubbing the brunette's back. "Why don't you come to my home? I have a room you can sleep in for the night."

A smile enveloped the tired boys face, as he titled his head slightly and hummed in contempt. “That sounds lovely...”


	23. Sleepover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sleepy bebs being sleepy bebs... right?

Oswald hummed and smiled as well. "Go on and get dressed. I'll have a maid clean up our mess before we close for the night."

“But I wanna stay hereeeee.” The man whined as he leaned in and hugged Oswald. “I’m too tired to move....”

"I can't carry you, darling~." He rubbed his back. "Get all properly dressed and we can sleep at my home."

Edward let out a sigh, reluctantly getting off of the man, and began to gather his clothes and re-dress himself. He hummed softly as he did so, a cute, soft smile on his face.

Oswald had trouble standing and had to rely heavily on his cane. The boss unlocked the door and called a maid to come inside and clean up. After fixing his hair a bit, he walked outside and requested one of his lackeys to escort Edward Nygma to his dressing room and prepare a car for them.

After slowly, but surely, getting his clothes back on, Ed was soon escorted back to his dressing room so he could grab his other things. He took his time making sure he had everything, not wanting to leave anything behind. After gathering all of what he needed, he followed one of Oswald’s lackeys so that he could be lead to the car that was being prepared for them.

Oswald was already inside the limousine when Edward entered as well. The penguin greeted him with a smile and a kiss on his lovely cheek. "Are you still tired? You can sleep in the car if you'd like."

“I think I’ll be fine.” The man replied softly as he returned the smile Oswald gave him. Shortly after saying those words, the man let out a yawn followed by a chuckle. “At least, I hope I’ll be fine~.”

The man beside him laughed softly as well. "Well, the option is always here." His employer stroked his hair and gave him more kisses across the face.

Edward felt his eyes starting to close, but tried to kept them open as he felt the bliss of Oswald’s hand in his hair, and lips dancing across his face.

In no time, the darker-haired man caught the brunette's lips in his. He tugged and wrestled and bit those pretty, pink lips.

Greedily, Edward leaned into the kiss and wrapped his hands around the man’s waist, effectively pulling him in closer.

Oswald hummed a moan and pressed his back against the seat. "Mm~. You make me so hard for you~."

“I’d hope that isn’t the only thing I do for you, mister Penguin~.” The man purred softly as he placed a gentle kiss on Oswald’s forehead.

"Most certainly not.", the man continued his make out session with the pornstar during the entire car ride home. He pulled away once the car stopped and helped the Riddler out of the car and into his old mansion.  
"Feel free to take any of the guest rooms you'd like. Everything is available and I'm more than happy to help you."

Edward looked utterly astonished once Oswald led him into the mansion. His eyes grew wide with wonderment, curiosity, and awe. Seemingly, he didn’t look so tired anymore like he was only a short time against.  
“This place is beautiful!” The man spoke in awe as he admired the old yet beautiful architecture.

"Oh, thank you kindly. This was my father's estate." He smiled and looked to the well-dressed man. "Would you like a tour?"

Immediately, Edward’s face lit up even more as he nodded and smiled fondly at the man. “I would love that!”

Oswald held him by the hand and walked him through every room. First the exquisite dining room, then the lovely kitchen, all through each and every room and secret passage ways until they made it to the library. "I'm sure a man of your intellect would appreciate a land of learning.", he grinned happily.

Edward stopped walking and stood in place the minute Oswald brought him into the library. The former forensic’s eyes widened and looked around at all the books with fascination. “I’ll sleep in here tonight...” He half-joked as he finally moved from his spot and took a closer look at his surrounding. “This is... remarkable, Oswald....”

The owner of the house laughed at his little joke. "Thank you. My father prided himself in his studies. He was like a renaissance man."

“I can tell...” The man muttered as he ran his hand across a random row of books, examining the various titles he saw.

Many of the titles were about gardening and botany. "What are you interested in? My father was sure to collect books of all subjects for his offspring and descendants."

“I’m interest in all sorts of things...” Edward answered simply as he took out a random book and looked at the cover. “I’ll read just about anything I can get my hands on..” He spoke softly as he opened up the book and began to flip through a few pages.

"Then I'm sure you'll like the library whenever you come over." He placed a hand over the tall man's shoulder. "But in other regards, we must get to bed."

The man nodded as he promptly snapped the book shut and slid it back into the shelf with ease. He turned back to Oswald and gave him a smile. “Lead the way.”

He brought him back onto the second floor with all the guest bedrooms. "Choose a room and I'll give you a pair of pajamas for tonight."

Not minding which room he received, Edward picked the room that was at the end of the hall and opened the door.

Inside was a full and furnished room with a large bed, a beautiful Victorian wardrobe, a few dressers parallel to the walls, and a framed photo on the dresser to the right. On that framed photo was a photo of Edward Nygma.  
"Oh--" Oswald quickly hobbled in front of him. "This is my room, darling. I'm sleeping here tonight."

Edward let his eyes scan the entirety of the room, looking at every detail, every nook and cranny he could see. He noticed the picture frame, and saw what looked to himself in the photo, but was a bit far away and couldn’t precisely confirm it was him.  
“What’s that?” The man asked softly as he walked past Oswald and went towards the picture.

Oswald tried to get in front of him again. "It's nothing and none of your business.", he replied firmly as he tried pushing him back. "Choose another room, darling."

Edward blinked, confused at why the man was suddenly getting secretive and strangely firm with him. He pushed up his glasses and looked down into Oswald’s eyes, a frown etching his way onto his features.  
“Are you hiding something from me?”

"No, honey." He lied and walked forward, pushing Edward back and out of his room. "I just value my privacy. Please go on and pick a room to sleep in."

’Ohhhh~ he just lied right to your face, Ed.~’  
Edward gulped and looked away, turning around at the last push.  
“Yes sir.” He spoke with a sharp tone as he went to the opposite end of the hall, and opened the door.

The man ordered a servant to get Edward some lovely silk pajamas to sleep in before going back into his own room and closing the door.

In what seemed like a matter of seconds, Edward heard a knock on his door and opened it to see a little folded pile of pajamas sitting on the floor for him to take. He took them into his hands and shut his door, sighing as he did so.  
‘A man who forces you to be honest with him, then turns his back and lies right to your face.. what does that say about Mr. Penguin’s character?’  
Edward looked over to see his other half lying on the bed, arms crossed behind his head, and a smirk painted on his face.  
“It’s none of my business, shouldn’t have asked in the first place.” The man dismissed as he began to slowly take off his clothes, in favor of the pajamas he was given.  
‘Mmm.. once a liar, always a liar. That’s what everyone says, right?~’

Minutes later, Oswald emerged in a lovely gold and black robe with pajama pants similar to Ed's underneath. The man knocked on his lover's door gently.

‘You should answer that....~’  
Edward glared at the hallucination, hatred in his eyes as he walked over towards the door, fully clothed in his nightwear.  
“Yes...?”  
The man spoke bluntly as he opened the door and looked down at Oswald.

"I wanted to say goodnight.", he answered with a solemn smile, reaching up on his tip-toes for a kiss on Edward's forehead. "Sweet dreams, darling. See you, tomorrow."

Edward blinked and was so caught up in his head that he only nodded and then shut the door on Oswald.

The bird man nearly flinched from how loud it was. Perhaps he was too rude earlier. Oswald would make up for it in the morning.

‘Slam it any harder, and the door will just collapse on him...’  
The ego joked, a dry laugh escaping his throat as he got off of the bed and moved towards Edward.  
‘Are you still curious what he was hiding from you~?’  
Edward didn’t even look at him, but the look on his face answered the question clear as day.  
‘Well. Go find out what he’s hiding~.’  
Edward waited a good amount of time, pacing around his room anxiously as he did so. After almost an hour had passed, the man decided it was finally the time that Oswald would be fast asleep.  
Perfect.  
The man sneakily left his room, making sure the door made no sound, and carefully tiptoed his way down the hall, being careful not to make any noise. Once he reached Oswald’s room, he carefully opened the door and stepped inside.

Oswald was dead asleep, snoring softly in his dimly lit room.

Slowly, Edward shut the door, making little to no sound at all as he did so. He took note that the frame wasn’t on top of the dresser anymore, and assumed maybe it was inside the dresser now. Edward looked to the sleeping man, then back over to the dresser. He walked over sneakily, and put his hand on the drawer, opening it slowly so he wouldn’t make a single noise.

Inside was the framed photo of Edward's ID picture, a thick envelope that was definitely filled with papers in the shape of polaroid, and a travel-sized bottle of lube.

Edward immediately picked up the picture frame and looked at it for a few seconds, tracing his fingers over the glass as he stared at photos of himself. After his curiosity with that was curbed, he looked back into the drawer and pulled out the envelope.

Inside of that was possibly hundreds of photos of Edward in sexual poses during many of his strip shows. Many of them showed exclusively his ass or him in the middle of a moan.

Edward gulped, eyes scanning over every photo, a blush dusting across his face. He never knew that the man had taken all of these photos of him. To be honest, he didn’t know what to think of all of it.

Suddenly, something pulled Edward back and pressed a cold knife against his throat. "Who the hell are you and what are you doing in my home?", the Penguin snarled in his ear.


	24. His Big Mistake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> what's Ozzie gonna do with that knife?

"Think you could snoop around and look for my weakness, didn't you?"

At the suddenness of what happened, Edward felt himself lose control and cursed mentally as he heard the damned chuckle in his head of the other part of him.  
“Press that knife any harder into my neck, and you’ll have quite the mess on your hands.~”

"Tell me who sent you or else I'll rip out your fingernails one by one and snap off all your toes.", the man growled back, daring to press the knife harder against his flesh.

“You mean to tell me, you don’t recognize me by the sound of my voice?” The bird spoke firmly as he looked over his shoulder, making sure not to let the knife go into his neck further.

"Quit stalling and tell me! The clock's ticking and it's running out real soon.", Oswald shouted, spit flying from his mouth in a fit of anger.

“Mmmm?” The man hummed softly as he reached his arms up, and grabbed the hand Oswald had the knife pressed to his throat with. “Sometimes you really are an absolute child...” The man muttered as he squeezed the man’s wrist so tight, that the blade dropped, and slid away from the two on the floor. Without another moments hesitation, the larger man whipped his body around and tackled Oswald to the ground.

Oswald fought back intensely, punching Edward straight in the face and pinning him to the floor in his dimly lit room. "Oh, no you don't!" The Penguin punched him a second time in the nose and reached across the floor for his knife. "I will give you one more chance! Who sent you!?"

The man let out a chuckle, that slowly but surely turned into a low laugh, which then escalated into a fit of mad laughter. He looked up at the man, making eye contact with him in the dimly lit room, blood trickling down his nose. “No one sent me, Oswald. You know who I am.” He spoke. His tone now laced with nothing but annoyance. No more humor or absurd laughter. “Now let me go.” He demanded, his voice deeper, a glare that could kill in his eye.

Oswald glared back and punched him yet again. "Nice try. Let's see who you are, then." He dragged himself up and turned on the lights. The moment he turned around, there was a look of stricken horror in his eyes. His face absolutely paled. What had he done? "Edward!", he gasped and shuffled his way onto the floor with him. "Darling, why didn't you tell me it was you? I couldn't see you in the dark!" He hugged the bleeding boy close, choked sounds escaping him. "I'm so sorry-- I didn't know! I would've never hurt you if I knew this!"

The man stiffened, the blood from his face tricking down and dropping small drops of the red liquid onto the floor. He let out a gruff as he shrugged off the man’s touch. “Don’t touch me, Oswald.”

"Edward, I'm sorry! I didn't know it was you, I swear!" He had tears pricking in his eyes at the blood he drew. "Let's get you patched up. Come with me to the bathroom, I'll take care of you."

“I don’t need your help, I can take care of myself.” The man spoke firmly as he stood up, and walked past Oswald, not sparing him another glance as he opened the door.

"Ed--" he limped up and followed him. "Edward, please! I didn't mean to hurt you! I would never hurt you!" The tears had now fallen down his face. "Darling--"

“I. Am not. Your darling.” The man spoke harshly as he turned around. An absolutely furious look in his eye, as he saw the crying Oswald. “Stop crying. It makes you look weak.” He spat as he turned back around and trudged off towards the bathroom.

Oswald didn't stop following him. "Edward, please don't be mad at me. I thought you were an enemy of mine. Please-- Please don't be mad. I'll do anything to make it up to you. Dar-- Sweetheart--"

“Why did you have all those photos of me?” Edward asked suddenly. He stopped walking, but didn’t turn around to face Oswald when he asked the question.

"W--" Oswald stayed silent. "H-How do you know about those?" At least he admitted to having them.

“They were in your drawer, underneath the framed photo you had of me.” He spoke simply, as a drop of blood trickled down his neck, then onto the floor.

"I-- um--" Oswald felt the heat rise to his face. No use in lying...  
"I paid one of my men to station themselves in the audience and take photos of your performance so I could have them...and pleasure myself to them..." he sighed. "I keep the framed photo in my room so that I think of you more often...you're.. very special to me..."

Edward visibly stiffened, eyes widening as his cheeks turned pink. He still didn’t turn around, he just let out a sigh. “I see.” He spoke simply as he then continued to walk, until he reached the bathroom, thoughts racing through his head.

Oswald make sure to squeeze himself through the bathroom door with Ed. "I-I'll get rid of them for you. I'll burn them all-- they're the only copies. But, please, let me take care of you darling."

“I’ve got it.” The man spoke more firmly then he did the last time as he turned on the sink, and looked around in the various cabinets, until finally he found a first aid kit.

Oswald reached out and put his hand over the first aid kit. "P-Please..." his eyes watered again. He couldn't do this again. He couldn't loose another person he loved again.  
Wait… love?

“Oswald. I’m fine. I’m not a child. I can take care of myself.” He urged as he brushed the man’s hand off of the kit, and opened it up. “Just.. if you want to be in here.. sit somewhere and let me handle it.”

"No, no..." he squeezed the kit tighter. "Please, Ed. I just want to help. Please let me..."

The man looked at Oswald. Glare still prominent in his eyes, but he let out a heavy sigh. “Fine.” He said begrudgingly, taking his hands off of the kit.

Oswald smiled and wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his robe, using his expensive white cloths under the warm sink water before wiping away all the blood. "I'm so sorry for hurting you, darling..."

“Don’t call me darling...” He muttered as he watched the man carefully wipe the blood off of his face. “Use the alcohol that is in the kit.” He spoke as he saw the man’s white cloth turn red from his blood. “More sanitary that way...”

"I-I know, sweetheart, but I should wipe away all the blood first..." he replied, head sunk low as he tried to ignore his first comment. "Please let me know if there's anything I can do to make this up to you. I never meant to hurt you, sweetheart..."

Edward looked away and cringed softly. He wasn’t in any sort of mood to be called any names. He clicked his tongue and watched the man from the corner of his eye.

Oswald applied the other products from the kit to his face and continued to take care of his pretty skin. "I-It doesn't hurt, does it?", he asked.

“You punched my three times, broke the surface layer of skin, and gave me a bloody nose.” The man spoke smoothly as he looked back over to Oswald. “Of course it hurts.”

"I-I-I didn't mean to, darling--" he swallowed nervously. "You know I would never hurt you on purpose. I-- I care about you so much..."

At the words again, Edward grabbed the collar of the man’s shirt, and pulled him in close. “I told you, not to call me that.” He spoke darkly as he looked into the man’s eyes and saw how nervous he was.  
‘Someone’s losing their temper, he’s clearly sorry, isn’t he?’  
Edward let go of the man, and closed his eyes, and rubbed his temples to stop an incoming headache.

"I-I'm sorry, d--" he pursed his lips. "But you are my darling, my dearest friend and I can't lose you like that." His watery eyes began to spill. "I'll do anything for you, as you said you would for me..."

Edward’s eyebrows furrowed as he continued to rub his temples, his ears beginning to ring. “If I was your darling, then you wouldn’t have put a knife to my throat..” He growled as he leaned his back against the sink.

"I didn't know it was you!", he sobbed and reached out to touch him. "Edward, please-- I'm sorry for keeping that from you. I shouldn't have done it without asking. But, please, I'll do anything to make it up. Anything!"

As if in more pain, the man groaned out underneath his breath, holding his head in his heads, feeling Oswald reaching out to touch him. After a minute of his ears ringing, he finally lifted his head back up slowly and looked into Oswald’s eyes.  
“Anything?”

"Y-Yes anything.", he assured and quickly wiped his eyes. "Y-You're the other one...?"

The man hummed softly in response, reaching out a hand to wipe the man’s tears. “You aren’t surprised, are you? Ed is less than thrilled by the idea of trying to have any sort of communication with you.”

"Wh-Why? I-I apologized-- I didn't mean to hit him-- you--" he sobbed again and came forward to hug the man. "If I knew it was him I wouldn't have done anyth-thing. It was dark and I couldn't see..."

The alter returned the hug, trying to calm down the man as he rubbed his back and shushed him. “It’s alright, it’s alright. Calm down, Oswald.” He spoke gently, holding the man tightly into his chest.

"No, it's not alright! He h-hates m-me!" His employer squeezed the boy tighter and ran his hands along his back.

“He doesn’t hate you, he’s just... frustrated... when he’s frustrated he can’t think straight, believe me, I know all too well...”

"B-But he doesn't want me to call him darling... I can't lose him, I can't..." Oswald sobbed, staining the borrowed pajamas with crocodile tears.

The man felt his heart grow weak with the words Oswald said. His eyes widened as he grabbed the birds chin and made him look up and into his eyes. “Oswald, you will never lose him. You will never lose me.” He spoke softly, his face serious as he wiped away some of the smaller man’s tears.

Oswald tried to calm down, but he couldn't. The tears still fell and he sounded like he was panting from a marathon. "Y-You don't kn-know that...", he sniffed and wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his lovely robe. "...H-He doesn't like me..."

“Don’t say that, Oswald.” He spoke as he looked into the sad man’s eyes. “He adores you...” He began as he wiped a few more of his tears. “He finds you absolutely, irresistible...” He leaned in a bit. “You might even say he likes you, a lot. More than normal, intact.” His lips were now only a few inches away from Oswald’s. “I can’t be bought, but I can be stolen with a glance.” He looked up into Oswald’s teary eyes. “I’m worthless to one, but priceless to two, what am I?”

The man put his head down and sobbed a little less. "Maybe before, but not now. I r-ruined it all." The bird stood up straight and tried to continue taking care of the alter's wounds.

“You didn’t ruin anything...” The man muttered as he watched in silence as the man tried to take care of his wounds. He felt his heart beating quickly, and wasn’t quite sure what was happening.  
“The only reason he was as mad as he was, was because you lied to him earlier. Then after the accident, you treated him like a hurt puppy.”  
He spoke slowly and calmly, his chest still on fire as the man tended to his wounds.  
“That doesn’t mean he hates you now. Darling, it would take a lot more than that, especially for someone as smart as him...”  
The man bit his tongue after saying those words, he never really liked Edward, but what he said was the truth.

"I-I just felt embarrassed for having his portrait in my room. I d-didn't mean to hurt him..."

Looking back into his eyes, he saw the humility, the embarrassment. He didn’t want to see that in the strong man’s eyes. “You have nothing to be embarrassed about...”

"Y-Yes I do. I'm so...pathetic, I need a man's picture in my bedroom to feel safe and happy..."

“It makes you feel safe, and happy?” The man asked, his eyes widening as a blush formed on his cheeks. He bit his tongue and looked away, trying desperately for it to show. “It’s not pathetic, it’s sweet....”

"No." He sniffed and turned to the door. "I...I n.." he dropped to his knees and broke into sobs again. Edward must’ve meant a lot to him if he chose to be this emotional about it.

Once the man dropped to his knees, Edwards eyes wide widened even further as he dropped to the ground himself and wrapped his arms tightly around Oswald.

Oswald hugged him back with weak arms, sobbing out an incoherent mess of worse that equated to "I can't lose Edward.", "I have no one.", and "I need him."

“You won’t ever lose me. It’s okay. Please stop crying..” The man muttered as he held him tightly in his arms, stroking his hair with a free hand in an effort to calm him down.

The ego was helping. At least the physical version of Ed was with him and willing to touch him. in just a few minutes, the boss finally calmed down but didn't stop clinging to the stripper.

“It’s okay, you’re alright, I’ve got you Oswald. I’m not going anywhere.” He spoke softly into the man’s ear, still comforting him in the embrace.

The man nodded and shifted under the brunette, needing to stand up from his bad leg kneeling on the floor.

Standing up with him, the ego gave Oswald the support by grabbing his arm so he had someone to lean onto.

He groaned and held tightly onto the man. "...please..." he looked up with his eyes all red and puffy. "...come with me to bed, tonight...I really need you..."

The man gave a comforting sad smile as he looked in Oswald’s sad eyes. “Of course.” He spoke softly as he placed a gentle kiss on the man’s forehead.

His employer limped with him to the bedroom and flipped off every light switch he passed by. Now it was dim and dark and ready for bed. Before Oswald laid down with Ed's alter, he picked up the knife from the floor and placed it under his pillow.

In the darkness, the man couldn't really see that well, and relied on Oswald to lead the way. He held onto him tightly, and heard something that sounded like a weapon being placed under his pillow. 

Oswald apologized for keeping the lights off and offered to turn on one of his lamps for him. With that one light source, they could get into bed much clearer and safer.

The man gladly took Oswald’s offer, his inability to see straight beginning to mess with his head slightly.

The bird slowly slipped his body into bed, looking up at Edward to see if he'd join him.

Once Oswald was comfortably into his own bed, the man carefully got in after him, cuddling his body up next to the smaller individuals frame.

He was quick to grab the other man. There was no way he was going to let him go. The two of them snuggled together and kept warm in each others embraces.  
Edward smelt so good~  
"Um...", he suddenly piped up in a whisper. "...I was wondering about this earlier. Because you're not Ed, then what am I to call you?"

The man pondered the question for a minute. Now that he thought about it, he never really did have a name. “Hmmm....” He hummed softly as he ran his fingers through Oswald’s hair. “You can just refer to me as... the Riddler.” He spoke with a smirk. “That is the name I adopted for when I’m on stage, after all~.”

Oswald looked up at the other with pride and admiration. What a strong and confident soul~  
"Riddler...I could call you that~..." he ran his fingers along the fabric of his borrowed pajamas.

“If you ever need me, day or night, just call my name and I will be here.” The man spoke softly as he looked into Oswald’s eyes, determination shadowing his face.

Oswald smirked. "Shouldn't you say that in the form of a riddle~?", he teased and pressed the lower half of his face into the boy's warm chest.

“I could’ve, but you must be so tired after all that crying, I didn’t want to confuse you~.” The man spoke teasingly as he ran hand down the man’s back.

Oswald chuckled. "Surely I wouldn't be that imbecilic. I know how to solve a riddle." He smiled and reached over to turn off the lamp. "But you're correct. I'm fairly tired. And I would love to sleep with you."

“Mmm~. Sleeping with you does sound lovely.~” The man spoke with a scandalous wink, then let out a soft chuckle as the lamp light turned off. “Goodnight, Oswald~.”

The Penguin chuckled at his easy joke and kissed his cheek softly before squeezing him close. He sighed and closed his eyes, now drifting off to sleep.

The Riddler fell asleep along with the man, arms wrapped around his soft frame as he drifted off into blissful slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> at least it had a happy ending, right? right????


	25. At Least, The Morning Will Be Better

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> softie stuff, short chapter

That night, Oswald dreamt of something awful. He dreamt of slitting Riddler's throat with Edward physically behind the bird, mocking and shaming him for doing such a thing. When they were both gone from him, he felt himself drowning in a giant, closed bottle of wine. His throat ached, his chest felt compressed, and he filled the bottle more with his tears the size of pillows.  
And then he woke up.  
Mr. Cobblepot shot up from the bed with exasperation, eyes blown wide and throat still itching from his dream. The poor man's heart pounded rapidly as he remembered everything that happened in his dream and the night before. Oswald's panting developed into audible whines that threatened glossy eyes to overflow.

Edward moved around in the bed, groaning softly at the noises Oswald was making.  
“O-Oswald...”  
The man muttered out, his hands reaching forward in front of him to try and grab the man, but was met with nothing. When he couldn’t feel him, his eyes fluttered open and he saw the man sitting up. He observed the petrified look on his face and immediately sat up and brought him into a hug.  
“Oswald? Are you okay?”

He didn't say a word, he only turned to the man and just held him close. He wasn't sobbing but there were tears.

Edward made sure to hold the smaller man close to him as he saw how scared he looked. He began to hum, and slowly rocked himself and Oswald back in forth in an effort to calm him down.

"I-I-I l-lost you ag-gain...", he finally sputtered out from his heavy breathing. "I was d-drowning in blood or wine or something red as big as the o-ocean..."

Edward ran his hand up and through Oswald’s messy locks of hair and kissed him softly on the forehead. “How could you have lost me, if I’m right here?” The man asked with a smile as he leaned down and kissed the man’s cheek. “It was only a nightmare, don’t worry. I’ve got you.”

Oswald squeezed tighter and slowed his breathing. "That's right...you're here...you're right here..." the boss leaned into the taller one's chest, breathing in his sweet scent.

“Mhm..” The man hummed back as he observed Oswald pressing his body into his chest. “I’m not going anywhere, anytime soon.”

Oswald kept himself pressed against the Riddler, soothing himself in his presence as he calmed down from his terrible rushing dream.

Riddler place soft kisses all over Oswald’s head, and stroked his back lovingly as he calmed down. “It’s Alright.~”

The bird hummed and leaned into every touch of his. Riddler was very kind an caring to him, perhaps he should do the same towards Edward.

After a while, Riddler pulled away slightly, so he could look into Oswald’s eyes. “Are you feeling better now?”

He sniffed and wiped his wet eyes, fully drying them with a nod. "Yes, I believe so. Thank you."

Riddler leaned in and placed a soft kiss on the man’s somewhat trembling lips, then pulled away. “No need to thank me.”

Oswald looked up at the tall brunette with a small twinkle in his blue eyes. "Would-- Would you mind d-doing that again~?"

A light blush dusted onto the man’s face, his chest feeling heavy as he looked into Oswald’s eyes. Without another word, Riddler slowly leaned back in and brushed his lips against Oswald’s.

His pale hands reached up to hold the man by the back of his head while they kissed. Or made out, rather. His raven-haired employer was certainly insistent on pulling him down on top of him.

With Riddler now on top of Oswald, he effectively deepened the kiss while straddling the smaller man and running his hands through the Penguin’s tangled locks.

He let out a humming moan and lifted his knees up behind Riddler's bottom. The two continued their session until someone knocked on the man's door.  
It was a woman speaking Russian, it seemed. Oswald responded with a single word in that language before turning to his lover. "Breakfast is ready. Let's go downstairs and eat."

The man gave a curt nod and promptly rolled off of Oswald and stood up, dusting off his pajamas. “I’m starving...” He murmured as he stretched out his arms and let out a yawn.

"Is there anything you like in particular? I could have Olga make it just for you.", he offered as he limped his way towards the door. Now, in the light, he could see poor Edward's bruises on the Riddler's face. It made him pull a worried frown.

The man shrugged and tightened the robe around him. “I’m not really picky..” He spoke as he put on his glasses and looked over at Oswald, seeing the frown pulling at his lips. “Why the long face?”

"...The bruises..." he came forward and reached out to brush his thumb against the side of his face. "They're...visible..."

“Oh..” He responded slowly as he winced from the man touching his face, some of the pain now being felt.

"Sorry." He quickly took his hand away. "Let's eat." The man opened his door and led his lover downstairs and into the dining room. Several plates were already made, featuring eggs, toast, bacon, sausages, pancakes, waffles, orange juice, syrup, butter, jam, fresh fruit, French toast, and more. It was a feast of the classic American breakfast. "I hope everything is to your liking.", he smiled as he sat at the head of the table.

The man was astonished by all of the food and delicious beverages that were scattered throughout the table. His stomach audibly gurgled as he fixed himself a plate with grace, his eyes filled with hunger, his mouth drooling softly as he got all the food he wanted. “This looks delicious...” The man murmured with a smile as he sat down.

"You can thank Olga for that. She may not speak English, but she's a hell of a good cook." Oswald smiled and turned to her, saying few words in Russian before digging into his own plate. He picked a little bit of everything presented.

“благодарю вас.” Riddler spoke with a smile over to Olga, some surprise was in her face, but she nodded her head in return. The man then began to slowly devour his meal.

"I didn't know you knew the language." Oswald spoke, surprise on his features as well.

“конечно, я делаю~.” The man purred, Russian accent heavily in the words he was speaking. “What kind of man would I be, if I didn’t know how to speak Russian?”

"Ah, I don't know that one. I've only learned Привет, благодарю вас, незапятнанный, and perhaps a few more."

“I know quite a lot of the Russian language.” The man spoke simply as he took a sip of his drink. “I can teach you more sometime, if you’d like.”

"I would very much appreciate it.", he smiled and cut another slice of his French toast.

The man hummed in response as he continued to eat, face calm as he did so.

When Oswald and his companion both finished, he requested the Russian woman to clear the table. "Since you're with me today, would you be interested in pursuing some of the arrangements you agreed to?"

The man crossed his legs, still sitting in his chair as Olga cleared the table. “With this on my face?” He spoke as he pointed to the red and purple that covered his nose and cheek.

"Not the photo shoot.", he assured. "Although make up would be used to clear that up. I meant for tailoring outfits and signing contacts for private gigs."

“Mmm.” He spoke as he uncrossed his legs and pushed up his glasses. “Whatever you want to do, I’ll go along with.” He spoke dismissively as he made eye contact with Olga. “Ольга, как долго вы работаете на мистера Кобблпота?”

"Шесть месяцев. С тех пор как мистер Ван Даль умер.", she responded, looking rather peeved about it.  
Oswald smiled and put his hands together. "Wonderful. I'm sure in no time working for me will replace the income from your old job."

“Я прошу прощения за вашу потерю, моя леди.” He spoke with a soft look on his face, as he looked over to Oswald, then back at Olga. “Каким он был? Ваш предыдущий работодатель?” He spoke as he crossed his arms and leaned back in his seat.

"не моя потеря грустить о." She looked to Oswald snidely. "он был его отцом. намного добрее, чем мистер Кобблпот."

“Я разорву его задницу, если он тебя не уважает.” The man spoke with a soft laugh, as he looked back over at Oswald.

Olga laughed as well, leaving Oswald family peeved that he couldn't understand the conversation. "Не таким образом. Я устал убирать мертвых людей. Его отец никогда не убивал людей."

The man’s eyes widened, then narrowed as he smirked at Oswald. “Ой? Является ли убийство его частым хобби?”

"Каждую неделю может быть два или три тела. Но деньги это хорошо."

“интригующий~” He finished as he stood up and walked over to Oswald. “So, shall we start our day~?”

The man smiled. "Certainly."  
His employer later got dressed in one of his very fancy three-piece suits, his hair also styled perfectly with added flair. He was beautiful and powerful... Oswald stood outside and awaited Edward-- the Riddler's arrival.


	26. If You Love It, Let It Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> uh  
> oh down  
> the  
> sadness 
> 
> slide  
> we 
> 
> go

Edward didn’t really have anything, other than the clothes he had worn yesterday. But, when Oswald was changing, the man conversed a little bit more with Olga and managed his way into getting something nice and new to put on. A simple, but elegant white button down, a dark green vest with matching slacks, and beautiful, black, semi-pointed shoes. He also managed to do his hair, washing then combing and slicking it back to look absolutely beautiful. Finally, he added the touch of his glasses and was ready for business. He looked absolutely stunning. Once he was good to go, he made his way down the stairs of the mansion and headed outside.

His piercing sea blue eyes caught the sight of his companion and he had no choice but to gawk at his perfection. Oswald was always a man who dressed to impress, but Ed didn't even look like he was trying. He was so lucky to have him... kind of.  
"My, my~." Oswald limped towards him. "You are looking quite the dapper fellow. Come with me." They were both led to the back of his limousine.

Riddler took his seat next to Oswald, crossing his legs and sitting up perfectly straight as the driver of the car began to pull away from the mansion. “What’s on the schedule for today?” The man asked as he looked out the window, then towards the small business man.

"I've scheduled another fitting for you. This Saturday's theme will be Devils and Angels. Everyone is going to have a special costume." He informed, sliding his hand to rest upon his partner's thigh.

“Mmmm, what a fitting theme..” He muttered softly, thinking of himself and Edward and how the two of them were polar opposites like angels and devils. “Any clue as to what my costume is going to be?”

He sat closer with the Riddler and smiled sweetly before his reply. "That's for you to decide, my darling~." His lips pressed against the other boy's warm neck.

The man took in a long breath, as he felt the man’s lips on his neck. “Trying to get me all hot and bothered~?” He spoke softly as he watched with a smirk. “You’re adorable~.”

Suddenly, his teeth nipped at his ear. "I'm not adorable. You're adorable~." He ran his fingers up and down the other man's thigh. "But I prefer to call you irresistible~."

Biting his tongue, he watched the man slyly out of the corner of his eye. “Flattery gets you nowhere with me, sorry darling~.” He replied smoothly, his voice dripping with seduction as he noticed the man’s hand moving up his thigh. “I do like that word though, irresistible. Just rolls off the tongue, hm~?” With a single movement, the dancer had a hand under Oswald’s chin, tilting it up so he could look right into his eyes.

Oswald smirked and let his hand press flat against the front of Edward's crotch. "The more you say that the more I think you're denying it~. You love to be praised, don't you Riddler? My intelligent and handsome boy~." Oswald stroked his hair with his own free hand. "You're witty and charming~. Cute little pup~."

A soft chuckle made its way out of the individuals throat as he bit his lip softly and felt himself twitch under the touch. “Is that so~?” The man challenged as he leaned his face in, nose now touching Oswald’s. “What about you, Oswald~? Don’t you like it when I tell you how absolutely intoxicating you are~?” He spoke as he brought his hand down the man’s chin, sliding it over the man’s neck and down to his own crotch.

"I adore and appreciate your comments, but nothing gets me harder than watching your body move~." He slid his hand over his hip and gently squeezed his ass.

This was the moment an audible groan erupted from the man’s lips, eyes becoming darker as he felt himself harden from the words Oswald spoke. “Now, you’ve gotten me all hot and bothered, Mr. Cobblepot~”

"Have I?" He spoke in a mocking tone. "Tell me how I can help~." The man reached under and began squeezing a bit harder.

The Riddler arched his back slightly at the touch, letting out a seductive chuckle as he felt the car come to a stop. “You can help, by not teasing me further, darling~.” He looked out the window, then back to Oswald. “Besides, we are here. You can finish your little game later, hm~?” He replied more with a mocking tone, matching the one Oswald had adorned.

"With that thing poking out~? I think not~." Oswald pulled Riddler closer and kissed his cheek.

“I can get it under control, I don’t need ice to settle my nerves~.” He teased as he felt his body relax when Oswald kissed his cheek.

Oswald growled angrily and squeezed Riddler's thigh. "You'll pay for such a snide comment~. Keep it mind that Mr. Lundy will touch your crotch as he measures you~.”

Riddler bit his lip, smirking wildly at how angry Oswald suddenly got, his eyes sparkling with hunger. “As I said before, I can handle it~.” He spoke with a bite to his tone, as he gave the man a flashy smile.

"Are you sure your cockiness isn't clouding your judgement~? I'm certain that Mr. Lundy won't mind us being a few minutes late to fix your issue~."

“A man of your high standards should be on time, if not early, to such appointments.~ What does it say about your character if you showed up late, just because you were getting me off~?” The man teased as he leaned in and blew hot air into Oswald’s ear.

Oswald flinched and insisted on caressing his friend's clothed erection. "I'm sure one late meeting won't reflect badly on my record."

The man let out a soft groan and chuckled into his employers ear. “Are you sure about that, Oswald~?” He growled softly in the other man’s ear.

The man pulled away with a sad look on his face. "Why are you such a brick wall? I thought you wanted this..."

“I’m a lot different than Ed, I’ll say that much.” He spoke bluntly, lips still pulled into a smirk as he fixed his glasses, and looked into the man’s eyes, his face softening.

Oswald took in a breath and let it out with a big sigh. He turned towards his side of the door and used his cane to help himself out. The Penguin waited for Riddler to take care of himself at the front of the building.

The man in only a matter of seconds composed himself and walked out of the car only a minute later, eyes beaming with determination as he made his way to Oswald, then opened the door for him to go in first.

The man silently walked into the building and spoke with only the secretary. Similar to before, but without the conversation, the bird brought Edward to Mr. Lundy's fitting room. However, very unlike before, he wasn't inside the room with him. Instead, the man kept himself outside and left Mr. Lundy to converse with the entertainer.

With Oswald being outside, Riddler couldn’t help but wonder if he pushed the man’s buttons. Oh well. The man gave Mr. Lundy a smile, and a nod of his head.  
“Pleasure to see you again, sir.”

The older man smiled and helped him decide on a costume of his choice. He already had a few sketches out designs from previous customers.

Riddler looked through the sketches, fingers running over the pages as he observed the various work.

"Pick from these or make your own design. Mr. Cobblepot said you could design anything as long as he pays for it."

With a nod of his head, Riddler grabbed a nearby pencil and began to sketch out something that he thought would be perfect for the theme: he would first start out with a simple dark, blood red dress shirt, one that would fit a little too well on his body, being sure to show off what was underneath clearly. He then sketched on a pair of tight fitting black dress pants, mimicking the shirt’s quality of being a little bit tighter than normal, he added black, skintight leather gloves to his hands, then added the touches of black suspenders, and a matching bow tie to the shirt. He then thought to himself.. what could make it a bit more interesting. A thought came to his head, and he smirked. He then drew and arrow at where the pants were drawn on and made a note on the side: fishnets? Why not. He then drew a lovely little bowler hat on the figure drawings head, a single piece of red satin bow wrapping around it. He added a pair of heeled, lace up ankle boots and tapped the pencil on the paper. It still felt like it was... missing something. He groaned softly to himself as he tried to think of what it might be. Alas, it didn’t come to mind, and if he thought of it, he could just add it later..

Mr. Lundy took it all into account and even suggested some better options for him. "What is it with the fishnets? You want them outside or under the pants?"

The man tapped his chin and hummed softly. “Underneath perhaps? We could make the pants tear-away to reveal them?” He suggested as he took all the man’s suggestions into account.

"Ah, okay. I can make material to tear away and attach, but I don't specialize in fishnet texture, only suits and shoes. You can go buy at a store, many stores have it."

The man nodded, fixing his glasses as he continued to think about what else he could have, his mind still thinking something was missing.

"If you're a devil, wouldn't you want horns on your hat?", he suggested, seeing that his client was having trouble fully accepting the look.

“Hmm. I wouldn’t want to be cliché. Besides, that would look kind of gimmicky.” He started firmly, crossing his arms as he continued to think.

"You want wings? A devil tail? Sometimes I see costumes with contact lenses to change your eyes?"

“Wings? Tricky. Devil tail? Would also look gimmicky... the contact thing might be interesting...” He spoke as he gave the man a nod. “Apologies for being… scatterbrained.”

"It is okay. Costumes are difficult for all my clients. You can go to a store and look for them, I can only make shoes and suits."

With a nod, the man put down the sketch pad. “Thank you.” He spoke simply, straightening his posture as he looked at the man. “Is that all you need from me?”

"Yes, I have your measurements from last two fittings. Come back tomorrow for suit fitting after I get the materials.", he smiled and already began adding little notes on the paper.  
Oswald, who had been patiently waiting outside the door, looked towards his friend with his continued frown. He said nothing as he led him outside of the building and back into his car.

Oblivious, Riddler just followed along suit, and into the car. He made a mental note about how he had to go run some errands later, but he didn’t want to trouble Oswald with that information. He looked towards the man as the car began to move, eyebrows knitting together in a worried expression. “Is everything, alright?”

"Everything's fine.", he replied flatly. "I'll be dropping you off at home. You still have work tonight."

The man blinked and nodded, sensing some tension with the man, but he didn’t want to pry. “Yes sir.”

Oswald refused to speak again as his driver pulled up to Edward's apartment and parked in front. The bird waited for his friend to leave.

Riddler looked out the window, then looked at Oswald. A frown on his face as he leaned over to him and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. 

Oswald scrunched up from the kiss and looked away with faint pink cheeks.

Without another word he got out of the car and headed up towards his apartment. With ease, the man entered his apartment and began to prepare a list of what he would need for that night.

Oswald sighed once he was alone. He felt some reassurance from Riddler that he still liked him, but it all felt like a way to keep him in the game. The lanky man was always insisting on not liking him and not enjoying his compliments yet he stayed for the pleasure and tried to comfort him when he lost Ed. It made Oswald feel odd that it was the only thing he had. With Edward gone from his life, it wouldn't even feel right being intimate with the Riddler. He supposed he could just avoid the man, after all it wouldn't make a difference...right? He'd ignored Edward--or perhaps it was Riddler-- times before and neither cared whether he was left alone or brought back into the relationship. Oswald had caused the man enough pain. As the saying goes: if you love it, let it go.


	27. Maybe He Should...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sad riddler hours, sad riddler hours, penguin is ignoring him so, sad riddler hours

That night at the club, he set up promotional posters for that Saturday and checked up on his other performers. Maybe he was spending a bit too much time with one and he needed to quality check his others. Barbara and Tabitha, the magician strippers, had sparked his interest, and so he spoke with them and asked about their performance. Whenever Ed would arrive, Oswald wouldn't be there and Oswald would not come into his dressing room like usual. Instead, a makeup artist hired by him would be waiting and offering to fix his bruised face.

Once Riddler had entered the club, he noticed how distant the man was being. It.. made him feel..  
Strangely sad.  
He was surprised by his own emotions, but decided not to deal with them as he headed to his dressing room. He met with the makeup artist, and smiled to himself.  
He’s avoiding me altogether. How cruel.  
Though there was a smile on his face, he felt more melancholy. He tried to brush it off as he politely told the makeup artist that he could handle his.. situation. He dismissed the individual, and stood in the dressing room alone, brain buzzing slightly.  
’You like him, don’t you?’  
The man blinked, he didn’t see Edward, but he heard his voice and let out a sigh.  
“Why does that matter to you?”  
‘You claim to be smarter than I am, yet you can’t tell how Oswald is feeling? I’m shocked. But strangely not surprised. You’ve never liked dealing with feelings.’  
Riddlers face twitched as he rubbed his temples and let out a grunt.  
’You claim to be stronger, but the fact that you’re ignoring the situation and trying to convince yourself that you don’t lov-‘  
“ENOUGH.”  
The man boomed, his voice louder than intended. He looked in the mirror.  
“Quit mocking me!”

At his shout, a lackey knocked rapidly at his door. "Mr. Riddler, are you alright in there?", he asked. There could be an intruder in there, and Penguin had said many times to take care of his darling.

“I’m fine!” He shouted back, half giddy as he looked back in the mirror and glared at his reflection.

"Okay, if you say so..."  
The performances began and in nearly no time, it was announced for Riddler to perform. Oswald was in his usual seat, but he looked more sullen and less excited to see the other man's act.

As always, Riddler played off his performance with his confidence shtick, wooing the ladies and gentlemen who praised his performances. He didn’t look over at Oswald once, until it was the ending of his strip tease. He made the mistake of looking up and catching the man’s eye, he immediately looked away, face looking like he was pained, and at that moment the lights went down and his performance ended. Nobody in the audience noticing the look he gave Oswald.

Oswald caught it and it made his heart pang. Riddler really didn't care about their relationship… and that was fine. He couldn't force the brunette to like him.  
Soon after, he spoke with Zsasz and ordered him to go down and have a talk with Ed. The bald hitman knocked on his boss's darling's dressing room door.

Meanwhile, The man was back in his attire he showed up in, costume folded and put away. He was sitting, back against the wall, head slumped to the side. He didn’t answer when the man knocked.

When he didn't get an answer, he knocked again and again, until he was making a little rhythm with his knuckles. It was annoying as hell, but fun for Victor himself.

‘Are you not going to tell him?’  
The man looked up, ignoring the sounds of the knocks as his face twitched in aggravation.  
‘You’ll lose him if you don’t.’  
Riddler stood up and walked towards the door. He opened it and looked right at Victor. He didn’t say anything, but walked past him. Without thinking things 100% through, he lead himself to Oswald’s office.  
“My apologies, Victor. But I need to speak with Mr. Penguin. Please don’t intervene.”  
He shouted down the hall with a gruff as he made it to his employers door. He knocked, then walked in.

"Ah--" he was quick to grab the man by his arm by the time they reached the door. Zsasz was stronger than he looked in that leather jacket. "Boss said he wanted to be alone. He has business to attend to." The bald man pulled him out of the office while Oswald just looked up astonished and startled, paperwork across his desk.

There was a struggle, but the lengthy man gave up with a defeated groan. He just dipped his head in embarrassment and closed his eyes. “Of course. How rude of me.”

Zsasz closed the door and brought Edward back outside the hall. "Penguin says that your routines aren't cutting it. There's not enough flow or movement, it's only stripping. Try to fix up your routines, alright bud?" He patted his shoulder and walked off.

Astonishment washes over Riddler’s face as he heard that. But he nodded silently, and just stood there in the hall.  
‘Well, he certainly knows how to damage your ego.’  
“I told you to stop talking...”  
He muttered to himself as he looked at his employers closed door. He contemplated whether or not he should go in again, but decided against it, a sad sigh escaping his lips as he trudged away.

Oswald worked in his office, contemplating his decision on ignoring Ed. Perhaps having him here as a constant reminder of their failed and flawed relationship was bad.  
Maybe he should fire Ed.


	28. And He Let Him Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> final chapter, it's a rough ride

Something stopped the man in his steps. He was halfway down the hall, and he couldn’t contemplate why he stopped. But he did. Something seemingly washed over his body. Enough of feeling sorry for himself, he never played that shtick well. He turned around on his heeled boots and marched back down to Oswald’s office. His eyes looked down at the door handle, and he grabbed it, opening the door and letting himself in. He could visibly see the surprise in Oswald’s face as he shut and locked the door behind him. Their eyes met, and Riddler’s face and every emotion could finally be read. He made his way up to Oswald, and didn’t dare to break the eye contact.  
“Oswald....” He began, his voice breaking slightly as he breathed in shakily. “I thought I should be honest with you. As much as it scares me to... open up, I feel you deserve the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.”

"D--", he stopped himself from using the pet name. "Riddler, I am very busy at the moment. Come talk with me at a different time."

“This can’t wait any longer.” The man urged as he gulped and pushed his glasses up. He grabbed Oswald’s hand and held it tightly in his grasp, he looked a bit nervous, but kept his composure. “I don’t like. Being like Ed. I don’t like... having emotion. Because I convinced myself that to be strong, I should never display weakness.” The man continued as he felt his feet shake softly.  
“But Oswald... I’m. I-I’m...” He began, emotion overwhelming his voice as he turned his head away. “I’m terrified...”

The man tried to pull away. "I think you need to leave. Take a rest, why don't you?" Oswald felt his heart ache and throb for the other. He'd never seen him so devastated, but he didn't want to risk falling for a mind game of some sort.

“P-Please.” The man stuttered as he still held onto Oswald’s hand. He looked back him, eyes wider and filled with hurt. “Just. Please. Hear me out. Please, Oswald.”

Oh, that voice... that puppy-eyed stare...  
Oswald came around his desk and gave in to hold his darling close in a hug. "Of course, sweetheart. I'm sorry. Please tell me." His red lips kissed his forehead and cheeks affectionately, even running his hands through his soft hair. "Tell me, darling."

With his body still shaken, the man let Oswald embrace him, his heart accelerating as his face turned pink. He looked down at his employer, eyes filled with an emotion he had never felt before.  
“Oswald, I have felt something with you, that I have never felt with anyone else before... I’m scared.. because I’ve never felt like this before...”

The bird felt his heart race, but suddenly remembered everything that happened in recent events. It felt as thought his entire body turned stone cold, and a bitter taste filled his mouth. His heart was being squeezed from awful he felt, just thinking about the words he needed to say.  
Oswald pulled away. "No...", he said with the shake of his head. "...you can't...feel that way about me..."

The other’s face fell, his eyes widening in shock and surprise, his heart feeling like it was about to crack. “W-Why?” He asked, his voice shaky as he looked into Oswald’s eyes.

"Ed, my work, your safety. Our flings may have been fun and endearing to us both, but I can't have feelings attached.", he insisted, sounding like he even had to convince himself.

A soft, broken chuckle made its way past Riddler’s lips, his head falling down, as a tear slipped down his face. He then nodded his head slowly, another tear slipping as he bit his tongue. “Y-You’re right, Mr. Penguin.” He spoke softly, his head lifted up to see the tears now pouring from his eyes as he gave the man a fake smile. “I-I don’t know what I was thinking, forgive me for being, f-foolish.”

Oswald approached him and tentatively wiped away his tears. He couldn't just leave the boy crying. "You don't have to leave right now. You may stay and be in my company as much as you'd like."

Riddler closed his eyes, a few more tears dripping down his face as he took in a shaky breath and took Oswald into an embrace: wrapping his arms around him and pulling him close. “P-Please... Oswald...” He mumbled softly as he buried his head into Penguin’s shoulder, gripping the man a bit tighter.

"What is it?", he asked. No pet names, no sweet (nor annoyed) tone. He knew he couldn't be intimate with the man anymore. Whether or not this was an elaborate game that his mind convinced him was real or not, he couldn't take advantage of the man. Edward still wasn't on good terms with him, everything he had ever loved has died, and their relationship would be much too serious for the circumstances. Confessing mutual feelings would be the worst decision on Oswald’s part.

The man felt a stronger buzz in his head, he squinted his eyes closed. His head was burning, and he couldn’t comprehend why.. he felt his grip grow weak on Oswald as he stumbled back and fell, landing on his butt as he held his head for a moment, a surge of pain going through his skull.

The man gasped and got onto the floor with him. "Riddler?? What wrong, are you alright?!?" He started to panick, shaking hands traveling all over his body.

The man let out a shaky gasp, throwing his head back and falling into Oswald’s hands. His head still burned for a minute, but after a while he calmed down, and laid limp in the man’s arms. “O-Oswald?” He finally spoke up, eyes opening, they looked brighter, and full of worry as he sat up a little.  
It was Ed.

"Y-Yes, it's me. Are you okay, you fell down..." he ran his fingers through his hair and kept him close.

“I-I-I think I’m okay.” He managed to stutter out. His eyes met Oswald’s and his cheeks turned pink, with that he reached his hands up and wrapped one arm around his neck, and put another one in the man’s hair. “Oh, Oswald.. I’m sorry...” He spoke softly, admiring the man’s beauty as he leaned up. His lips only an inch away from Oswald’s. “I’m sorry....” He whispered softly as he leaned in and placed a kiss on the Penguin’s lips.

Oswald pulled away and turned his head. "Please don't, Riddler. You don't need to apologize, it isn't your fault..."

A soft chuckle came out of the man’s mouth, he took the man’s chin into his hands and turned Oswald’s head back so he could look at him. “Don’t you mean, Edward?” He spoke with a big loving smile as he leaned back up and gave the man another soft kiss on his forehead.

Oswald turned away again. "That's enough. I've had enough." He sighed and struggled to stand up before helping Edward to do the same. "I'm guessing that you aren't...mad at me anymore. But you must not have been listening. We can't...be like this anymore..."

“I understand, and respect everything you say.” He spoke softly, but he then grabbed the man’s hands and looked at the man. “But, even if you don’t feel the same, my feelings won’t change.” He spoke softly, looking into the man’s eyes. “But, if you want me to stop, say the word, and I’ll stop.”

His eyes watered and he pulled away harshly, his back to the man. "I said I've had enough.", he told Edward in a cracking voice. "I can't have both of you love me, it's too much..." His emotion-filled voice was just on the brink of sobbing.

Edward's heart thumped in his chest, his voice getting caught in his throat as he heard the man’s voice break. He went behind him, and wrapped his arms around Oswald, giving him a soft hug. “I’m sorry, Oswald.”

He brought his hands down to hit the brunette's away. "I said I've enough! Please, stop touching me." He reached up and rubbed his eyes. "We can't be like that anymore..."

“But I hate seeing you cry...” The man spoke with a frown, he walked over to Oswald and felt his heart ache.

"You certainly didn't think that the night before. It doesn't matter anymore. I can't risk your safety when you have these feelings towards me. It's bad enough to have this toxic relationship where nothing settles right, but I'd rather not have you at all than to lose you forever."

“Oswald...” He began as he approached the man once again, soft expression on his face. He didn’t really know what to say, but he wiped some of the man’s tears with his sleeve.. “I’ve been the absolute worst to you... God I’m terrible...” He muttered to himself as he brought his hand away.

"No, you aren't. Everything that happens is because of my ignorance. Please-- I'll let you work here, but we can't associate with each other anymore..."

“I wouldn’t be able to work here, and not associate with you.” He spoke softly as he took off his glasses, folding them in his hands. “It would kill me...” He muttered to himself, his cheeks turning pink as he looked away.

"...Then I'm afraid you're fired.", he finally spoke, avoiding eye contact with the brunette.

Edward nodded, throat tightening as he let out a soft sigh. “Before I go, can I do one more thing?”

"That depends on what it is...", he answered.

“Can I kiss you? One last time? Then I’ll leave you alone forever.” He spoke, his face serious as he looked down at the man.

Oswald shook his head. "I can't risk getting more attached to you..." The man clutched his cane. "I'll miss you...both of you..."

Edward gave a small smile, still looking into Oswald’s eyes. “I’ll miss you too, Oswald.” He spoke calmly, trying to hold back the overwhelming feeling to start bursting out into tears. He then began to head for the door. “If you ever need anything, you know where to find me...”

Oswald stayed silent until the other man left. He felt numb, alone, and scarred. The Penguin knew he wouldn’t be able to handle this as smoothly as he thought before.  
Zsasz came in a little while later, in the middle of Oswald’s silent thoughts. "Need anything, boss?"  
"....Get me the strongest liquor we have."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading my story and leaving kudos and comments! I'm incredibly excited to finally finish posting this series and get into the next one (yes, there's another) but that won't be posted until July 1st of this year. Anyway! Please leave a comment of what you thought of the story! I'm so excited to hear your feedback.   
> Much love, Dev & Felix 💕


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